A well-set preserve or jam (US: jelly) based on an elongated, pale green summer squash or pumpkin, called a cucuzza in Sicily, renowned really only for its lack of flavour. The preserve may be spiced with cinnamon or rosewater, betraying Arabic origins. It is used in biscuitrs and pastries as a filling.
A Sicilian dialect name for summer squash, which can grow to an enormous size, described as looking like a bleached, mutant courgette (US: zucchini). Depending on how long it is left to grow (the season is generally midsummer to the first frost), a zucca can weigh anywhere from a 1½ to 7 lbs. The shape may vary from almost ball-shaped to serpentine in shape. The bigger they get the milder their flavour. They should be peeled and cut into sections and then boiled or steamed and then may be eaten with freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil. The flavour of the creamy, cooked flesh is fairly bland, which makes it a good vehicle for other flavours. It is also the parent of tennerumi.
Christmas biscuits (US: cookies) from Sicily made with short crust pastry filled with a mixture of minced (US: ground) figs, sultanas, walnuts and almonds with lemon and orange peel, cloves, cinnamon and honey with a little chocolate and vino cotto.
Rounds of pizza dough fried in Sicily. They may then be served with anchovies, pecorino cheese and onions, as the white version, or with the addition of tomato sauce for the red. Sweet ones maybe doused in honey. Lisa e-mailed from Canada to say "My grandparents immigrated from Sicily to Canada in the 50’s but from what I recall in my grandmother’s kitchen growing up cuddiruni was always a sort of stuffed pizza consisting of a bottom layer of pizza dough and then thinly sliced potato, onion, cauliflower (cut in very small pieces) mixed with olive oil, salt and pepper and layered on top and then just before sealing with another layer of dough my grandmother would put little bits of sausage meat and black olives, and top the dough with some grated parmesan or pecorino cheese..yum, memories of Nonna!!"
Round of coarse pizza dough fried in Sicily. They may then be served with anchovies, pecorino cheese and onions, as the white version, or with the addition of tomato sauce for the red. Sweet ones maybe doused in honey.
Biscuits (US: cookies) thick with dried fruits and nuts, traditionally baked at Christmas. In Palermo they make a more elaborate ring-shaped version sprinkled with fastuca.
A dish from Sicily. Small aubergines (US: eggplants), bearing a strong resemblance to the cugghiuni of the name of the dish, are stuffed with breadcrumbs mixed with chopped mint, garlic and capers and fried.
