As we all know, Sicilian traditions are the result of many different dominations. That population that ruled Sicily for a long time had been the Spanish with its Holy Inquisition.
In a time where everyone had to be catholic, we started developing many religious celebrations, processions, saints and patron saints!
This is why on the 13th of December we celebrate Saint Lucy ( Lucia in Italian). Her name comes from the latin “Lux” that means Light – this is the reason why she protects the sight and the eyes.
Saint Lucy is famous and loved in Palermo because on the 13th of December 1646 she made a miracle. There was a severe famine in the city and people were heavily suffering from hunger.
Suddenly, a vessel arrived at Palermo port carrying cereals. People were starving so they had no time to turn the cereals into flour and they started cooking the full seeds.
This is how the famous “Cuccìa” was invented – a soup made of boiled wheat.
Since then, to thank and celebrate the miracle that S.Lucy made on her day every year, for 376 years, every 13th of December we just only eat wholegrains, such as rice, wheat and chickpeas.
Well, you know… we’re italians and for us, food is a thing.
As a result, Sicilian people started making many different and tasty recipes. Starting from the sweet “Cuccìa” (made with whole boiled wheat, ricotta cheese cream, sugar and chocochips), ending with the Queen of our table…
…the Arancina!
(If you are from Catania things change a little… but no spoiler for now).
The Arancina (that in Palermo is female because it ends in A) has still not clear origins. It is a rice ball filled with different ingredients. Apparently, it was an arabic dish because of one of the main arabic ingredients, the saffron.
When the Arabs conquered Sicily, in 800 AD, they started naming food as fruits (arancia means orange – to this end Arancina). The original version is the one without the tomato sauce (that was introduced in Europe after the discovery of America in 1492).
At first the Arancina came from leftovers – rice and stew from the previous dinner were put together in a new and fancy way .
When did the Sicilian people decide to deep fry it?
Well, in the 1200s at the court of Frederick II , because the king needed a full meal to carry during his journeys or hunting.
In this way the Arancina became a very popular dish. Also farmers started bringing the Arancina to the countryside – it was a rich and nutritious meal.
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Today the Arancina is the queen of the typical Sicilian Street Food!
This is an important day and we decided to call it Arancina day!
We all know very well the significance of the 13th of december. It is a proper competition between friends and family members.
Our menu is the following:
In the morning Arancina is filled with chocolate, covered with sugar and cinnamon powders for breakfast. Arancina “Accarne” – with minced beef, or “Abburro” – with ham and cheese for lunch, break and dinner.
At the end of the day the one that eats the largest number of arancine wins!
We really recommend visiting Palermo on this special day. The smell of fried food will invade all the streets and alleys. You will immerse yourself into new and traditional tastes.
If you are staying in Catania instead, well the Arancina changes its gender and it becomes the Arancino – that ends in O.
There is a strong rivalry between Palermo and Catania because of it…
But at the end, call it as you like it… it is always the yummy Arancin*!
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