20 Best Sicilian Pasta Dishes You Should Know About

From kissing dogs to canned classics, when pasta comes to mind, Italy naturally follows. A little-known fact that may shock you is that the pasta we know today actually originates from Italy's southern sibling, Sicily. It was imported by Arab colonizers at least 300 years before Marco Polo is believed to have brought it to mainland Italy from China. The earliest iterations included Arab spices and raisins but evolved over time with Sicilian cuisine's influence. Along with Arabs, over the years, it's been occupied by the Greeks, Normans, Spanish, and more. Each introduced foods and culinary ideas from their homeland, which makes Sicilian cuisine truly unique. 

Pasta from Southern Italy is distinct from the rest of the country too. Unlike in the north, where they use soft flour and eggs, in Sicily, pasta is traditionally made using only durum wheat and water. Not only is Sicily the OG pasta maker, but it's also home to various crave-worthy styles. Known for its fishing culture, seafood plays a prominent role in Sicilian pasta. There's a wide variety of shapes and sizes used, from spaghetti and bucatini to local favorites like paccheri and anelletti. Trust us, pasta from the boot-shaped country isn't the only style you'll get a kick out of. Below is a list of the best Sicilian pasta dishes you should know about.

Another tried and true pasta recipe that'll make you pinch your fingers together is pasta 'ncasciata, or Sicilian baked pasta. It's a hearty stomach-filler that's great for feeding large groups, and for leftovers if you don't like sharing your savory favorites. Traditionally made in wood-fired ovens, pasta 'ncasciata has been around since Arabs occupied the island in the ninth century B.C. 

In Sicily, you'll find 'ncasciata varies depending on which region you're in. In the southeast, Messina prepares it with a ragú of minced meat that's browned with onion and wine, while in the northwest, Palermo uses a zesty tomato sauce. There are many ways to enjoy this versatile dish. Ground beef is a reliably tasty meat option, and some recipes even add salty and smokey salami or cooked ham. If you're a fan of eggplant parmigiana and baked ziti, you'll love pasta 'ncasciata.

Sicily's size and location made it a magnet for ambitious conquerors throughout history. There was an upside though; the influx of different cultural presences influenced Sicilian cuisine, helping it become more complex and diverse. Couscous was introduced when the small island came under Arab rule. In Sicily, it's most often paired with seafood, unlike how it's made in its North African motherland with meats and stews. 

This pasta staple comes from Sicily's Trapani province and flavorfully melds couscous with a mix of fresh seafood. It's called couscous alla Trapanese, which can also mean couscous Trapani-style. If you enjoy hearty but healthy couscous topped with seasoned fish broth and the aroma of the Mediterranean, you should definitely check it out.

With a rich and varied history, there's an almost endless variety of Sicilian pasta to try. One of the most popular is pasta alla norma. It's made with short-cut pasta like rigatoni or campanelle and blended with toasted garlic, earthy fried eggplant, zesty tomatoes, and aromatic basil with a final sprinkle of creamy Grana Padano. Sicily's classic pasta has musical origins. It's believed that it was made during the opening night of a famous 19th-century opera named "Norma," composed by Vincenzo Bell. 

That's only half the story though. Others believe that it was named after a reaction that Nino Mortoglio, another Sicilian composer, had to tasting eggplant pasta. "Chista è 'na vera Norma!" Mortoglio exclaimed, which means "This is a true Norma!" Regarding Bellini's "Norma" as a masterpiece, Mortoglio felt it was the best word to describe how perfect the eggplant pasta tasted.

Another unique Sicilian-style pasta that'll either pique your curiosity or send you running for the mountains is spaghetti al nero di seppia, which translates to spaghetti with cuttlefish ink. It's super savory, black-colored, and looks like a pasta recipe Tim Burton might've dreamt up. Spaghetti al nero di seppia gets its distinctive color and flavor from cuttlefish ink — it's silky and salty, carrying a flavor of fresh seawater and umami. 

There are two ways to make this special Sicilian staple: mix the ink directly into the flour if you're making pasta from scratch, or add it to the sauce as it cooks. We recommend using a thin long-strand pasta like spaghetti or angel hair because it's great with buttery sauces like this one.

Pistachios are commonly used in Sicilian cuisine. The Moors were the ones that introduced pistachios to Sicily. Today, it's harvested using the same traditional methods that the Moors used — one at a time and by hand. A first-course knockout that you should add to your culinary queue is pasta al pesto di pistacchi, or simply, pistachio pasta. 

Creamy, aromatic, and nutty, the pistachio-infused pesto is the Sicilian version of the classic sauce. It also includes mint, which adds a surprisingly refreshing touch. Pasta al pesto di pistacchi is definitely a food you have to try in Sicily. Unlike the island's more complex pasta recipes, this one only takes a few minutes to make, so it's great when you're low on time.

Sauce and sausage are clearly a match made in heaven, as each begins with the same three letters. In Sicilian and Italian cuisine, they call the savory duo ragù alla salsiccia, otherwise known as sauce with sausage. It's traditionally slow-cooked with tomato purée, zesty onion and shallot, sweet carrots and fresh celery, garlic and herbs, olive oil, red wine, and, of course, sausage. It's a stomach-satisfying sauce that's normally enjoyed with macaroni during the week and on Sundays. 

While the prep itself is quick and easy, you'll need to set some time aside to really give this recipe the cooking time it deserves. Not to fret, though; the taste of slow-cooked ragù only gets better with time.

You may have to visit an Italian market for this Sicilian delicacy, but if you're lucky enough to find it, the search will be totally worth it. Tenerumi are the leaves of Sicilian serpente zucchini and a summer staple at outdoor markets. Commonly sautéed with garlic like spinach or other popular leafy green vegetables, tenerumi is truly delicious in pasta. 

Locally, the dish is aptly named pasta con tenerumi and is actually a hot soup made with ripe diced tomatoes, long zucchini strips, herbaceous and spicy caciocavallo ragusano cheese, olive oil, and garlic. As a soup-based pasta, it goes great with long-strand and shell-type noodles like spaghetti, fusilli, orecchiette, and cavatelli. Since tenerumi isn't widely available, chard works just fine as an alternative.

If you like creamy and toasted nut flavor, you'll love maccheroni con speck e pistachio, or macaroni with speck and pistachio. Only made using six simple ingredients, it's a tasty and protein-packed pasta perfect for dinner parties. Pistachio plays a major role in Sicilian cuisine and truly shines in this special pasta. Pistachio sauce is made with savory speck, which refers to any cured and smoked pork, diced onions, and heavy cream. As long as you have 20 minutes to spare, maccheroni con speck e pistachio is the time-saving meal you need. 

When it comes to the best pasta pairing, medium-length styles like penne rigate, rigatoni, or cavatappi are best. If you prefer a long-strand type, fettuccine is great too.

Blending breadcrumbs into pasta is a great way to add some bite to its consistency. Beyond bite, if you make breadcrumbs from scratch, you can elevate the tasty toastiness even more. Bucatini con agguiche e muddica joins the list of Sicily's amazing breadcrumb-infused pasta. 

It's made with salty anchovies, olive oil, sweet raisins, pine nuts, and earthy and floral saffron, then blended with bread bits. The combination of ingredients gives it a full-bodied flavor that deliciously balances savory and sweet. It's the contrasting flavors and textures that really make bucatini con aggiuche e muddica stand out. Although you'll find it most commonly made using bucatini, feel free to use any long-strand pasta of your liking.

Another long-strand Sicilian staple that's blended with breadcrumbs is spaghetti alla Siracusana. Originating from Syracuse, Sicily, it's made using almost the same ingredients as Bucatini con agguiche e muddica and pasta con le sarde; except it doesn't include raisins like the former, and does include breadcrumbs, unlike the latter. 

Specific ingredients can sometimes vary, with some recipes using sardines and others calling for anchovies. Despite the fishy touch of sardines and anchovies, the flavor is balanced by a blend of tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. Spaghetti alla Siracusana isn't a saucy pasta but has more than enough filling and flavor to please. Like many Sicilian-style pastas, it's an easy recipe to deposit in your culinary memory banks. Feel free to withdraw it whenever you're hungry for a taste of Sicily.