Catania’s fish market, La Pescheria, was just one memorable stop on John’s grand tour of Sicilian street food—otherwise known as Sicily’s Landscapes & Timeless Traditions.
By John Bregoli, O.A.T. Senior Copywriter
For me, there is no better or quicker way to understand a new and unfamiliar culture than through its local food markets. I could say it’s all because local markets are a window to local culture and how they reflect a region’s history, traditions, and values—which is true. But really, it’s the food.
I have a bit of an adventurous palate, so I don’t visit food markets just to look at all the colorful produce and soak in the local culture. I’m there to eat—and I’ll try almost anything. While the street food in places like Istanbul, Cairo, or Bangkok are heaven to me, I’m equally content grazing in the more, let’s say, non-traditional food markets. In Vietnam and China, it seemed that every wok sizzled with rodents, reptiles, and tropical insects. Not a problem—tossed in oil and sprinkled with a little salt, those critters are all rather tasty.
Not all of John’s Sicilian meals were enjoyed on the street.
But without question, my all-time favorite open-air markets are in Sicily—my street food mecca. I’ve been to Italy a half a dozen times and lingered at countless markets. Since the food varies so widely from region to region, the markets are also very different—and I loved them all. I’m not even sure why I’m so drawn to the ones in Sicily, especially since the Mediterranean island isn’t even in my DNA.
Having grandparents who emigrated from Parma and Bologna, I grew up surrounded by giant bowls of pasta, plates of mortadella and prosciutto, leaden trays of lasagna with meat sauce, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. And if I had a date with the hangman at dawn and had to choose a final meal, I’d ask for tortellini in brodo and tagliatelle al ragù. (Yeah, I know, you can’t order two pastas, but hey—it’s my last meal!)
So what makes the food markets of Sicily so special? Take La Pescheria, the fish market in Catania. It’s the epitome of how you envision an Italian market—a madhouse of flailing arms and fishmongers bragging about the freshness of their catch. "Tutta fresca! TUTTA FREEESSCAA!!" they scream in your ear while tossing pails of ice water to keep everything nice and chilled. That, and the thwack of giant cleavers hitting on wooden chopping boards. A moment of food ecstasy was a simple funnel of newspaper filled with plump, lightly fried sardines I enjoyed here a few years ago (my only regret is sharing it with my travel companion, cousin Ken).
While Sicilian produce is beautiful, it did not feature heavily in John’s menu.
Not surprisingly, ground zero for Sicily’s food markets is Palermo. Of its four centuries-old markets, my favorite is Ballaro, where you’re often packed in with Sicilian nonnas on their daily shopping rounds. The market, whose origins date back to Arab rule, is an endless buffet of Sicily’s best street foods including my favorite—arancina. Mainland Italy calls them arancino, but here these golden rice balls are flavored with bright-yellow saffron—a distinctly Arab touch (remember, Palermo is closer to Tunisia than it is to Rome). Other fan favorites include chickpea fritters called pane e panelle; crocchè, oval-shaped potato croquettes; and sfincione, a fluffy, focaccia-like pizza. Everything’s cheap and it all tastes like heaven—well, maybe except that spleen sandwich they call pani ca’ meusa. If you’re not sure where to go, just follow the locals.
Our man on the street enjoys an espresso.
I realize some people still avoid "street food," usually due worries about hygiene. But these vendors have been doing this for a very long time. And because they limit themselves to just a few items, it’s almost always a perfectly executed dish and a consistency that could hold its own with a Michelin-starred kitchen. But if you must steer clear of them, that’s fine with me. I won’t have to wait as long for my next order of sardines.
Savor the flavors of Sicilian street food during Sicily’s Ancient Landscapes & Timeless Traditions.
