Not only archaeological antiquities. Agrigento‘s culinary vibrancy and its wide range of recipes contribute to the myth of Sicilian gastronomic excellence. From generation to generation, Agrigento chefs exchange delicacies that blend ancient recipes with grafts of modern flavours.
What are the typical dishes in Agrigento’s restaurants and taverns? Quite a few. The succession of different dominations has created an exciting variety of taste and flavours.
Five things to eat in Agrigento and surroundings:
- Maccu di fave
- Minestra di San Giuseppe
- Taganu di Aragona
- Cavatelli all’agrigentina
- Minestra ‘i sicci
1. Maccu di fave
A simple dish of peasant origin, the macco di fave is closely intertwined with Agrigento’s earthy history. The past of boiled broad beans, with the addition of chard and wild fennel was served to labourers as an end-of-work meal to regain strength. Inscribed on the list of traditional Italian agri-food products by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, it is now traditionally served to celebrate St. Joseph, but it is not difficult to find it on local tables during spring, when fresh broad beans abound.
2. Minestra di San Giuseppe
Not only broad beans! On 17 March, it is customary to serve the ‘Maccu di San Giuseppe‘, a soup with simple ingredients that was traditionally offered to the poorest people in the village. Cooked in the early days of spring, this poor but tasty dish was made with the fresh ingredients offered by the land during the first months before summer. Broad beans, beans, lentils and chickpeas for a triumph of authenticity combined with a round, hearty flavour.
3. Taganu di Aragona
Complex, elaborate, at times baroque and redundant. The taganu or tianu di Aragona is one of the most complex dishes to be savoured around Agrigento. Traditionally eaten on Easter Saturday, it is a kind of pasta pie composed of meat sauce, eggs and tuma, a typical Sicilian cheese. This delicacy is a cornerstone of Sicilian cuisine and, at Easter, it is celebrated by a dedicated festival in Aragona.
4. Cavatelli all’agrigentina
Cavatelli – we recommend the handmade ones – with durum wheat flour and local water, seasoned with fresh sauce and the main ingredient: fried diced aubergines with a sprinkling of parmesan flakes and salted ricotta. These are the building blocks of one of the most popular first courses served on local tables.
5. Minestra ‘i sicci
Not far from Agrigento, you can taste another typical delicacy from the Agrigento lands. At Siculiana Marina, in the period from April to July, fishermen usually catch an astonishing quantity of cuttlefish. The molluscs flavour is combined with the creaminess of peas. Everything is then garnished with potatoes, onions and parsley for a simple but very tasty seafood soup.