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Sicilian Swordfish Polpette – Fish balls

What do you call meatballs made from fish? Fishballs? Italy simplifies things, polpette are small balls of minced anything, bound with an egg, seasoned and fried. When I am in Sicily, we tour the Capo food market in Palermo and stop and enjoy lunch at a small trattoria run by a fish shop. As part…

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Sicilian Street Food Snack- Panelle

This trip I didn’t get to spend any time in Palermo, where I love to enjoy the street food stands. At the Foresteria Planeta, where we did our classes, Chef Angelo Pumilia made us his version of panelle as an appetizer the first night with our aperitivo.     Panelle are made from chickpea flour…

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A small gift for Pigging out in 2009- Porchetta

For those of us who don’t want to try to get whole hog or even a half a hog to make porchetta, here is a smaller home version I do using pork belly, known as pancetta in Italy. Not the pancetta which is already cured like bacon, but meaning just “the belly”, la pancia. I adore…

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Sicilian Saturdays

I had so much fun in Sicily this October that I want to keep it in my heart and in my stomach! With the tours, we stay in 5 star hotels being spoiled. When I am on my own, I prefer a little B&B run by locals. I was very lucky in Palermo to find…

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Judy Witts Francini

Originally from California; Tuscany has been my home since 1984. I found the city of Florence to hold all my passions, food, wine, art all in one place. When I am not in Tuscany, I am often found in Sicily, my other favorite place to be. Always searching for recipes to share and exploring for the guides I write to my favorite cities for food and wine.

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Visit Tuscany | Kitchenmate

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