Now whilst I may have eaten the odd Dr. Oetker* in my time, I still would never have considered myself an expert on Italian food (and certainly no doctor). Pizza, pasta, tomatoes, basil, liberal olive oil application - these are the hallmarks of this world renowned cuisine, not spices! Italy certainly doesn't seem the most obvious place to rummage around for spice-based interest, but Palermo is a slight exception.

*German doctor of pizza

It's something of a guide book cliché to talk of Sicily as not 'real' Italy - a place with a unique and muddled cultural lineage, having changed hands more times than I've had hot dinners (most notably conquered by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish, and most recently (finally?) Italy in 1860).

The impact of this diversity is immediately apparent in Palermo's architecture with a handsome mix of Baroque, Norman and Arabic styles on display, much of which lies in complete disrepair, untouched since damage during the Second World War. This dishevelled-chic combined with stray dogs, noisy traffic, tightly packed labyrinthine alleys and nocturnal street vendors selling unfamiliar cuts, contribute to a very un-European feel to Palermo. Adding these to my language-woes (even my French seemed comparatively good) and the whole place seemed much more foreign to me than I ever would have anticipated.

Street food is a big deal in Palermo, but particularly after dark when alleys and piazzas become vibrant hotspots for social congregation, filling-out with street food stalls selling cheap beer and barbequed internal organs such as pane con milza(veal spleen sandwich), or stigghiola (lamb intestines) or a more tame plate of panelleand crocchè(chickpea and potato & egg fritters respectively).  Whilst these quick, inexpensive and edible-on-the-move snacks are tasty, they do not really suggest too much of Sicily's cultural cocktail (though the fritters are believed to be of Arabic origin).

As with mainland Italy, the basis of Sicilian food is the Mediterranean diet - rich in pasta, fish, and vegetables and characterised by great simplicity. Of all the island's conquerors it is the Arabs that seem to have had the most indelible influence on the cuisine with a number of their agricultural imports such as oranges, lemons, artichokes, sugarcane, rice, almonds and pistachios continuing to be grown in abundance in the fertile volcanic soil (thanks to Mount Etna's regular activity). But most interestingly for me, is the continued use of spices in Sicilian cooking, particularly cinnamon and saffron. 

Cinnamon is often used to flavour Sicilian desserts such as the Palermitan original, cannolis, consisting of a tubular fried dough shell with a filling of sheep's milk Ricotta, citron (a fruit similar to a lemon), orange zest and sweetened with another Arabic import, sugar. Such contrasting textures do not make for easy eating as the crunchy casing collapses into the creamy centre as you bite into it.

The ice-cream or gelato in Sicily is World Class and with claims to the invention of the stuff  (first frozen using snow brought down from Etna) this is perhaps no surprise - that said, the cinnamon variety wasn't really to my taste, but pistachio definitely was! It is perhaps no coincidence that the Arabs too have a claim to the creation of ice-cream, believed to be the first to use milk as the principle ingredient.

This spice has found its way into some savory dishes too such as Pasta alla Paolina which combines anchovies, tomatoes, garlic and olive oil with the unfamiliar addition of cinnamon and also cloves. 

In between ice creams, I managed to meet up with a couple of local chefs to find out more about the use of spices in Sicilian food. Vincenzo invited me along to his Ristorante 'Cin Cin' where I sampled the classic dish, Pasta con Sarde, translating to 'Pasta with Sardines'.

This course typifies cucina arabo-sicula - comprising of very few ingredients and extreme simplicity the dish is firmly rooted in the Mediterranean, however the addition of the sweet raisins, the bite of pine nuts and the hay-like fragrance of saffron point to the Arabic occupation from centuries past. I feel that this pasta course perfectly sums up the Sicilian spicing - never star of the show and at the flavour-forefront, but enhancing the fresh produce to add a subtle layer of complexity. In this case the saffron works with the raisins to mellow the distinctive, acquired tastes of the sardines, anchovies and wild fennel.

Vincenzo explained that the very traditional Sicilian menu at Cin Cin is to fall in line with Italian people's very traditional tastes and great respect for heritage in their food, hinting to a slight frustration with the lack of opportunity for experimentation and innovation. Furthermore, he suggests this is why so little ethnic food is available in Palermo, Italy's fifth most populated city. Given the island's diverse history and relative poverty compared to the North of the country,  I wondered if this commitment to tradition has come, in part, as a result of an island population looking to solidify an identity rather than embracing outside influences or more unfamiliar palettes.

This inward-looking food culture is something I also discussed with a chef to over 600 students at a school in Palermo. I took an excursion out of the city to meet Mimmo in his small village  to chat about the island's spicing exploits and once again struck upon the  the subject of a Sicilian narrow-mindedness when it comes to eating, preferring tradition over culinary discovery. He also confirmed the high level of simplicity when it comes to the use of spices in Sicilian cooking, rarely used in great quantities or complicated combinations as is found in other parts of the world.

As well as a lot of useful general information about food, Mimmo was bursting with energy and ideas such as a black spice blend (spices yet to be decided) for salmon to be called 'The Talc of Etna' as well as a saffron and honey gelato. His biggest passion though was his wine-making which quickly took-over conversation!

Buon appetito! My Pasta con Sarde at The Spicery

Upon returning to The Spicery I gave Pasta con Sarde a go. Exchanging the fresh sardines used in Sicily with tinned ones makes a delicious solution for all those tins you may (inexplicably) have stashed in the cupboards!

• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Serves: 4

• Heat rating: 0/5
• Dietary: none

Ingredients

8 tbsp olive oil

2 tins of Sardines

1 tin of anchovies

2 onions - finely chopped

1 fennel bulb - finely chopped

1 tbsp tomato puree (optional)

handful of pine nuts

handful of raisins

cup of water

salt and pepper to season

handful of breadcrumbs per serving

Bucatini or spaghetti

Spices

1 tsp fennel seeds

Pinch of saffron

Method

Heat the oil and fry the onions and fennel until soft

Add the anchovies and cook until they breakdown then add a tablespoon of tomato puree and some water to loosen everything into a thick sauce

Add the fennel seeds, pine nuts, raisins, sardines and saffron

Serve with al dente (very important!) bucatini or spaghetti and a good handful of toasted breadcrumbs ...told you it was simple!