What to Eat and Drink in Agrigento

The cuisine of the province of Agrigento is a classic blend of what the land produces and what the sea has to offer. Traditional dishes include pasta with sardines, pitaggio—a dish made with fava beans, peas, and artichokes—alose in camicia (fish wrapped in puff pastry and baked in the oven), and the ever-present caponata, a dish typical of all of Sicily. Desserts are certainly a very important part of the cuisine, and almonds, in particular, are a key ingredient. In Menfi, you’ll find “dolcetti cucchiafeddi,” made with almonds flavored with Sicilian lemons; in Favara, during Holy Week, they prepare “agnello pasquale” using traditional almond paste filled with pistachios and then coated with sugar glaze. Everywhere you’ll find cassata and classic cannoli. No meal would be complete without wine, of which Sicily is a major producer. In particular: Contea di Sciafani DOC, Menfi DOC, Sambuca di Sicilia DOC, Santa Margherita di Belice DOC, and Sciacca DOC.