Pasta con le Sarde Wine Pairing #ItalianFWT

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There’s something intriguing about Sicily.  Perhaps it’s the history of Greek, Roman and Arab occupation; or maybe just the scenes from Godfather II. Whatever the case, Trish and I have chosen to focus on Sicilian food and wines for this week’s gathering of fellow bloggers . . . all covering the island wines of Italy. Join us on Twitter Saturday morning, April 6^th at 10 am CDT for a chat that is sure to enlighten.

The addition of sardines to Italian pasta recipes can be traced to Palermo, Sicily’s cultural capital. Steeped in Sicilian history, Pasta con le Sarde is said to have originated during the Arab conquest of the Island. Legend has it that the Arab occupying troops were fed sardines, wild fennel and pine nuts as all were in abundance. To this day, sardines are commonly used in pasta dishes, providing protein, Omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins B12 & D, and importantly, lacking the heavy metals and mercury that larger fish often contain. All good.

We were stunned as to how delicious this pasta dish was. For those put off by the strong flavor of the sardine alone, note that the integration of fennel, onion, sweet raisins and saffron all served to soften the impact. And pine nuts and bread crumbs added welcome texture to the dish. We chose to amp up the fish flavor by adding anchovy paste (more Omega 3 fatty acids) but that is strictly optional. The recipe we used is provided below.

The over-arching advice for the wine pairing is simply this:  pour unoaked, island white wines. Both Sicily and Sardinia provide several options for crisp, citrusy, herbal yet refreshing white wines that will cleanse the palate without dominating the complex flavors of the dish.

We initially chose an indigenous Sicilian varietal called Grillo made by Tasca d’Almerta ($18). Funded by the Whitaker Foundation, the winery chose to recover a historic Grillo vineyard (Mozia) of about 17 acres, 12 of which are under vine, farmed organically and without irrigation. The progeny of the grapes Cataratto Bianco and Moscato di Alessandria, Grillo delivers the crisp minerality of the former and the round mouthfeel of the latter. But we felt that the Grillo wasn’t quite complex enough to stand up to the sardines. So, we made a course correction and headed to another Italian island – Sardinia.

Sardinia’s most important grape is grown throughout the Mediterranean. In northern Italy (Piedmont), it is called Favorita, in France, Rolle, and in Liguria, Pigato. But in Sardinia, Tuscany and Corsica it is called Vermentino. Our preference is for the Sardinian Vermentino produced by Pala called Stellato ($27).

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The nose on this wine was alive with ripe tropical fruits and lemon/lime. From the glass, the wine attacked the palate with tart green apple, spiked with Meyer lemon – clearly enough acid to stand up to the sardines and tomatoes. Remarkably, the green apple tartness morphed into a finish of sweet Fuji apple and tangerine. Beautiful, complex and memorable. Look for the Pala Stellato, but be mindful that some Sardinian producers of Vermentino, such as Capichera, produce an oaked, richer style that we do not recommend for this dish.

Still not sold on the Pasta with Sardines?  Then how about a Sicilian steak (Bistecca alla Siciliana)? This is easy to execute and presents a nice alternative to simply grilled steak. 

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Marinate strip steak or T-bones for 30 minutes in ¾ cup of olive oil with 2 crushed garlic cloves. Combine 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons dried oregano and 1 cup of breadcrumbs on a large plate. Pull the steaks from the marinade, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip both sides in the bread mixture and broil or pan fry to your liking. Simple.

We thought the wine pairing with the Bistecca would be equally simple – a big Sicilian red wine. Arguably the most famous (and expensive) wine that fits this bill is Donnafugata Mille e una Notte 2014 ($70), a blend of grapes grown in southwest Sicily:  Nero d’Avola, Petit Verdot and Syrah.

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Intense, full-bodied, ruby colored, Mille e una Notte ($77) wafts black fruits with balsamic and spice. The palate was soft with silky tannins, but the fruit extraction was very high.  If you like new world Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah (think Napa), you will like this wine.  Personally, we found it overpowering . . . even for the Bistecca. Our preference is for slightly lighter-weight wines that will allow the spices and savory beef to shine. We found that wine on the eastern side of Sicily near Mt. Etna.

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Formerly called Passopisciaro Rosso, Passorosso 2014 ($39) is made from the grape Nerello Mascalese and blended from vineyards differing in altitude and soil type on the volcanic slopes of Mt. Etna. The 2014 was aged 18 months in large, neutral oak barrels and bottled unfiltered. Brilliant red-ruby color and perfume of red fruit and sandalwood invite the palate to a rush of strawberry, raspberry, minerals and a touch of vanilla. We loved this wine with the Bistecca for its mid-weight, bright fruit and streamlining acidity. This was a Tesla to the Notte’s lumbering Rolls-Royce.

OK, so much for the main course. Now for a classic Sicilian dessert – Cannoli.

We believe the Sicilian wine pairing for these sweeties can be narrowed to two wines:  Malvasia delle Lipari from the volcanic Aeolian isle of Salina (as seen in the film Il Postino) and Passito di Pantelleria, from the small island south of the main island. The former, which tastes like fresh-picked apricots, is hard to find in the US. The Passito di Pantelleria, as made by Donnafugata, is bottled under the name Ben Ryé ($40 for a half-bottle) and is more readily available.

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The wine is made from the Moscato di Alexandria grape (called Zibibbo in Sicily) grown on the wind-swept, black sands of Pantelleria. This beauty indulged the palate with ripe, golden raisins and a luscious mouthfeel, followed by ample acidity so as not to be cloying. A perfect finish with cannoli and the entire Sicilian dinner. Saluti!

Please join me and the following writers as we share our exploration of the food and wine of Sicily and the Italian Islands.

Linda from My Full Wine Glass offers From Sardegna to Sicilia by Sea – Two Pairings (#ItalianFWT)

Pinny from Chinese Food and Wine Pairings explores Sicily’s Marsala Wine – A New Product (Wine) Life Cycle that Started in the 18th Century but Continues to Thrive Today! #ItalianFWT

Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla recollects Island Memories, Slow-Roasted Lamb, and Cannonau Di Sardegna

Lynn from Savor The Harvest is in the mood for Italian Island Wine Speak with Vinisola

Cindy from Grape Experiences reveals Discovering Liquid Gold from Sardinia and Sicily at Chicago’s Coda di Volpe

Jennifer from VinoTravels tells the story of The Cultural Heritage of Mamuthone and Cannonau of Cantina Giuseppe Sedilesu

Susannah from Avvinare invites readers to Discover Aleatico from the island of Elba

Wendy from A Day In the Life on the Farm makes Oven Roasted Salmon with Tarragon Tartar Sauce paired with a Sicilian Grillo

Lauren from The Swirling Dervish shares Island Wines of Italy: Alghero Torbato from Sardegna

Gwen from Wine Predator features Island Wines of Italy: 4 from Sicily paired with pizza ItalianFWT

Jeff from FoodWineClick is Dreaming of Italian Islands While We Wait for Spring

Martin from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog tempts with Sardinian Vermentino di Gallura Paired With Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto 

Nicole from Somm’s Table crafts A Passion for Sicily with Passopisciaro

Jane from Always Ravenous is Tasting and Pairing Sicilian Wine From Mount Etna

Here at L’Occasion we feature Speaking of Sicily, Italy’s Island Wines In Conversation