Sicilians cook a bit differently than mainland Italians do.  Their cuisine is primarily a combination of Roman, Greek, Arab and Spanish settlement, with a smidge of French and German thrown in for fun.  At some point, they all held sway over Sicily.  We’re going to focus primarily on the Moors, who ruled Sicily for over 240 years;  their influence on the language and cuisine, was and is profound.  One of their major influences remains today, the cultivation and use of oranges and lemons.  The Moors also brought the cultivation of eggplants, dates, rice and sugar cane.  While the Romans brought wheat to Sicily, it was the Moors who promoted the production through superior irrigation.  This lead to the creation of portable dried pasta.  The Moors brought cinnamon, pistachios, almonds and desserts with honey.  This Stufato or stew, owes its flavors primarily to the Moors and with a smidge of the other conquering people tossed into the pot! Continue reading →