Sicily is the anglicised name for Sicilia, an island off the toe of Italy with both Arab and European influences. It is the largest and most populous island in the Mediterranean. It is an autonomous region of Italy. Provinces include Palermo, Messina, Siracusa, Catania, Ragusa, Agrigento, Enna, Caltanissetta and Trapani with other islands including Stromboli, Ustica and the Egadi Isles. Chillis are often used in cooking and spices such as saffron and cinnamon are used in desserts. Pasta dishes predominate, usually with vegetable sauces.
A name in Sardinia for the big-scale atherine, a type of atherine similar to the sand smelt. A marine fish, usually deep-fried, it is a small, silvery fish similar to the argentine. When tiny it is treated in the same way as whitebait. This fish grows up to 12 cm.
Wels or sheetfish. A type of catfish that can grow up to 5 m (16 ft) in the wild and is Europe's largest freshwater. It is found in the Rhine River in Germany eastwards to the Black and Caspian Seas. The elongated wels body consists of a powerful forebody and a laterally greatly compressed tail shaft; the prominent anal fin merges with the caudal fin. This fish, with its calm undulating tail movements normally has its long pair of upper jaw barbels pointing straight forward, while the four smaller barbels of the lower lip hang down. The dorsal fin, consisting of just four rays, seems small for such a powerful animal. In the wild they have been known to eat ducks where they rush up behind them at night, sucking them into their mouths with a vortex motion. In their native habitat they feed on other fishes mainly eels, burbot, tench and roach, but it also takes water voles.
"Torpedo." A Ligurian name for winged squid. This is similar to squid in flavour but is tougher. They are often stuffed with breadcrumbs, garlic and parsley and served with a tomato sauce.
