The kitchen of Palladio a trip among the tastes of Sicily The Restaurant Here we list only a few of the dishes that you can find in our tasting menus and in the menus for half (or full) board: they are traditional recipes at times renewed to make them lighter. For the fish simple preparations that highlight its freshness, the use of local species less known but delicious and the incomparable taste of the fish raw or marinated, always present in the fishermen kitchen. Then the poor dishes of the farmers, which actually are very rich preparations for the most part vegetarian and lastly some recipes of the nobles haute cuisine. The written culinary tradition, born in Sicily with the recipe-books of Frederick the Great, was then exported to the court kitchens of all Europe. It got a new great season after the revolution of 1789, when many of the chef of the French aristocracy found refuge in the houses of the Sicilian nobles, where they were called monsù (from the French “monsieur”), and they succeeded in renovating with knowledge their own recipes using Sicilian ingredients. STARTERS (Eating the sea: fish and fresh seafood here have always been eaten raw or marinated with lemon, olive oil and chilli-pepper) Mix of Fish of the day Marinade with Sicilian Sauce of Lemon, Oil, Garlic, Parsley, Oregano Prawns au gratin with Pistachio from Bronte ”Spatola” Fish Marinade with Salad of Oranges “Palamito” fish Tartare with Spring Onion, Capers and Tomatoes Codfish Salad with Cherry Tomatoes from Pachino and Fresh Herbs Smoked Swordfish Mousse of Codfish with croutons Mussels au gratin (The farmers memory: the triumph of the vegetarian dishes often humble adaptations of the refined dishes based on game or fish from the aristocratic cuisine) Caponata sweet&sour with Eggplant, Celery, Onion and Cacao Salad of grilled Sweet peppers and tomatoes Aubergines pie Cauliflower fritters Zucchini Pantesca (stuffed with potatoes, almonds, oregano and capers) Cous cous salad with herbs and season vegetables “Tiribilio” (sweet peppers, aubergines, bread, zucchini, tomatoes and onion) Roulade of aubergines and sweet peppers Stuffed mushrooms Zucchini cutlet FIRST COURSE (The table of the nobility: the tradition of the nobles haute cuisine was born in Sicily with the recipebooks of Frederick the Great, a splendid example of a synthesis of Arab and Norman elements, and was then exported to the court kitchens throughout Europe) Pasta “Bucatini” Palermitana with Anchovy, Wild Fennel, Raisin, Pine Seeds Sword-Fish Risotto Flavoured with Oranges Pasta Linguine with fish sauce Ravioli filled with Ricotta Cheese and Pistachio topped with Wild Fennel Pesto Timbale Made with Pasta “Anelletti” with Aubergines and Parmesan Sauce Pasta “Spaccatelle” with Sweet peppers and Pistachio cream Potatoes and Ricotta cheese pie (la table of the common folks) Fresh Home Made Pasta “Maccheroni” with Sicilian Meat Ragout and baked Ricotta Cheese Pasta “Bavette” with Pesto of Trapani (Almonds, Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil, Caciocavallo Cheese) Pasta Eliche with dried tomatoes, olives and capers Lentil Soup with Rosemary and Dried Tomatoes Sicilian Tomato Mush with beked Ricotta Cheese Sicilian Bean Soup SECOND COURSES (The fish of the fishermen) Fish of the Day Grilled Fish of the Day stew with olives and capers Fish of the Day deep fried with mint and vinegar Anchovy filled with ricotta and deep fried Anchovy “beccafico” with seasoned breadcrumbs Stockfish “alla ghiotta” with tomatoes olives capers celery onion (The fish of the chef ”monsù” of the aristocracy) Sword Fish with Tomatoes, Raisin, Pine seeds Palamito fish fillet in Almond Crust “Spatola” Fish au Gratin with Pistachio from Bronte Stuffed Spatola fish rolls Baked “Occhiata” fish with Emerald Sauce (Almond and Capers) Squid stew with Tomato and Almond (The meat of the farmers) Rabbit ”cacciatora” stewed with olives onion celery sweet peppers Meat-Balls Grilled Wrapped in Lemon Leaves Small pieces of rolled meat flavoured and roasted Veal cutlet “Palermitana” Calf Meat stew with Fresh and Dried Tomatoes (The meat of the patricians) Chicken Breast with Pistachio Sauce Calf Stew with Almonds and Capers Veal croquettes with citrus