Sicilia - by Ben Tish (Hardcover)

About the Book

Sicily is both at once a frugal peasant land with a simple robust cuisine, but also full of ornate glamour and extravagance. A most beautiful and complex contradiction in terms, Ben Tish unlocks the secrets of Sicily's culture and food within these pages, diving into its diverse tapestry of cultural influences. Sitting at the heart of the Mediterranean, between east and west, Europe and North Africa, the food of Sicily is full of citrus, almonds and a plethora of spices, mixing harmoniously with the simple indigenous olives, vines and wheat. You'll find the most delicious, fresh seafood on the coast and mouth-watering meat in land; but the two rarely mix. Packed full of vibrant flavours, this beautiful collection brings the food of Sicily to your table, with recipes ranging from delicious morsels and fritters to big couscous, rice and pasta dishes and an abundance of granitas, ice creams and desserts, all stunningly photographed. Recipes include: saffron arancini, smoky artichokes with lemon and garlic, whole roasted squid, Sicilian octopus and chickpea stew, aubergines stuffed with pork, roasted pork belly with fennel and sticky quinces, bitter chocolate torte, limoncello semifredo. Dive in and experience this unique culinary heritage for yourself, bring the sights and sounds and aromas of this beautiful food to your home.

Book Synopsis

A love letter to one of the oldest, most richly varied food cultures of Europe.

Sicily is a frugal peasant land with a simple cuisine, and yet full of ornate glamour and extravagance. Ben Tish unlocks the secrets of Sicily's culture and food within these pages, diving into its diverse tapestry of cultural influences.

Sitting at the heart of the Mediterranean, between east and west, Europe and North Africa, the food of Sicily is full of citrus, almonds and a plethora of spices, mixing harmoniously with the simple indigenous olives, vines and wheat. You'll find the most delicious, fresh seafood on the coast and mouth-watering meat in land; but the two rarely mix.

Packed full of vibrant flavors, this beautiful collection brings the food of Sicily to your table, with recipes ranging from delicious morsels and fritters to big couscous, rice and pasta dishes and an abundance of granitas, ice creams and desserts, all stunningly photographed. Recipes include: smoky artichokes with lemon and garlic, roasted pork belly with fennel and sticky quinces, bitter chocolate torte, and Limoncello semifredo.

Dive in and experience this unique culinary heritage for yourself, bring the sights and sounds and aromas of Sicily to your home.

Review Quotes

"The book explores the island through its food, taking in traditional dishes, both simple and extravagant, as well as recipes that he has created, inspired by the sun-soaked Mediterranean way of life." --Times Magazine

"[A] delightfully delicious departure from the typical Italian cookbook." --Publishers Weekly

"This brightly covered book introduces the island, located just off the toe of Italy, with its history and diverse mix of cultures... Recipes are inspired by Sicilian produce, cooking styles and sun-soaked Mediterranean way of life... Sounds like heaven to me." --The Caterer

"This book delivers the perfect balance of approachable weeknight meals ... and show-stopping weekend projects ... Paradiso!" -Real Simple, Favorite Cookbooks of 2021

About the Author

Ben Tish is the Culinary Director of the Stafford London in St James's, where he oversees the food offering throughout the hotel including the Game Bird restaurant, the American bar and private dining. In September 2019 Ben opened Norma, a Sicilian-Moorish influenced restaurant. The restaurant features a bespoke raw bar serving Sicilian-style crudos and a first-floor bar serving seasonal, understated cocktails and a selection of Marsala served by the glass. Ben appears regularly on TV including Saturday Kitchen, Sunday Brunch, and Masterchef and writes for Delicious, Guardian, Telegraph, Times, Noble Rot, Restaurant magazine, Chef magazine, and other publications. This is his fourth book. Ben lives in East London with his wife Nykeeta and his French bulldogs. @ben.tish