Imarat Siuilliya: Arab influence on Sicilian and Italian Desserts
At L’Arte we celebrate and recall the profound influence of Arabo-Siculo cuisine on Sicilian pastry arts. The sweets we offer during Ramadan and for Eid al-Fitr were either introduced by the Arabs while rulers of Sicily (827-1061), developed during that time by local pastry chefs, or incorporate Arabo-Siculo flavor profiles.
During the Arab period Sicily was referred to as the “Imarat Siuilliya” and it was an extremely sophisticated and cosmopolitan land with a diverse population consisting of Sicilians, Greeks, Byzantines, Romans, North Africans and Arabs. It is not widely known by many, including Italophiles, that the Arabs introduced sugar to the island and Siculo-Arabic speakers developed a whole series of unique desserts still popular today, such as cassata (al-qaššāṭī), cannoli (qanawāt), cubbaita (qubbayt), etc. Arabs also introduced sweets made from almonds and pistachios, as well as the art of making sorbetto (shariba). In fact, over 300 Sicilian words, still in common use in agriculture and baking, are of Arabic origin.
Also, during the Arab period, citrus fruits were introduced on a wide scale. Limone (lymun) and arancia (al-naranjah) orchards spread to all parts of the island. Today, citrus orchards are so widespread that the aroma of their flowers, which still carry an Arabic name, zàgara, originally Arabic zahr, hovers over every path, road, and yes, pasticceria on the island. So, when you come visit us this year for Ramadan and Eid don’t be surprised if you are reminded of the rich dessert stalls found in any Moroccan, Tunisian or Sicilian marketplace. Eid Mubarak!
