Sicilian food may have a lot in common with Italian cuisine, but make no mistake: they are not the same. Sicily has been a coveted piece of real estate for 3000 years, and every invader left its mark on its culture and its cuisine.

You might call Sicily the home of fusion cuisine. Every conqueror brought new flavors and ingredients, which were then included in traditional Sicilian dishes. Greeks brought capers and olives, Arabs brought saffron, lemons, and raisins, Romans brought cheeses, the Spanish brought tomatoes and chilies from the New World … the list goes on.