Ingredients
Serves 6 (Makes 24)
Sicilian Lemon-Grilled Meatballs
1 cup (70 g) fine fresh breadcrumbs
¼ cup (60 ml) milk
250 g coarsely minced pork
250 g coarsely minced veal
2⁄3 cup (60 g) grated pecorino pepato*
1 egg
2 tbsp finely chopped fl at-leaf parsley
2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp fennel seeds, roughly ground
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
24 unsprayed lemon (or orange) leaves
50 ml olive oil
Lemon wedges
Fried Cauliflower Sicilian-Style
Serves 4–6 as a side dish
1 head cauliflower (about 600 g), trimmed and cut into large florets
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Sicilian Lemon-Grilled Meatballs (Polpettine al Limone alla Griglia alla Siciliana)
This recipe has all the flavours I love to cook with – lemon, parsley, pecorino and a good handful of seasoning. Lemon leaves add a delicious taste as their oil is released into the meatballs while they cook. If you can’t find them, simply serve the meatballs with
a generous squeeze of lemon. You can also add tomato sauce and serve the meatballs with pasta, or serve them as a delicious substitute for the humble hamburger. Last but not least, they are great to nibble on straight out of the fridge.
Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl, then squeeze with your hands to form a smooth paste. Add the pork, veal, pecorino, egg, parsley, lemon zest, fennel seeds, garlic, pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt and combine well with your hands. Take a small amount of mixture to form a 3 cm meatball, then wrap a lemon leaf around the meatball and sit it on a baking tray. Continue with the remaining mixture and lemon leaves until all are used.
Refrigerate the meatballs for at least 30 minutes before cooking; this helps the bread soak into the meat to keep the meatballs together and also gives a better flavour.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or barbecue flat plate over medium–high heat and fry the meatballs for 3 minutes on each side or until browned and cooked through.
Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon.
*Pecorino Pepato is a popular Sicilian cheese made from sheep’s milk and studded with peppercorns. If you can’t find it, use regular pecorino or a good-quality parmesan.
Fried Cauliflower Sicilian-Style (Cavolfiori Fritti alla Siciliana)
My father has been making this satisfying dish for as long as I can remember. I have added garlic and parsley to his recipe for a bit of extra oomph. The cauliflower takes on a slightly caramelised flavour – and there are not too many dishes where you can say that the slightly burnt bits are the best.
Wash and drain the cauliflower. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the cauliflower, cover with the lid and cook for 10 minutes; using a couple of tea towels and keeping the lid on, toss the cauliflower every 2–3 minutes or until browned all over and crisp. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for a further 2 minutes, tossing again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot or at room temperature.
My Taste of Sicily by Dominique Rizzo, Penguin, RRP: $39.95