Sicily is both a frugal peasant land with a simple robust cuisine, and also full of ornate glamour and extravagance. A most beautiful and complex contradiction in terms, Ben Tish unlocks the secrets of Sicily's culture and food within these pages, diving into its diverse tapestry of cultural influences.

Sitting at the heart of the Mediterranean, between east and west, Europe and North Africa, the food of Sicily is full of citrus, almonds and a plethora of spices, mixing harmoniously with the simple indigenous olives, vines and wheat. You'll find the most delicious, fresh seafood on the coast and mouth-watering meat in land; but the two rarely mix.

Packed full of vibrant flavours, this beautiful collection brings the food of Sicily to your table, with recipes ranging from delicious morsels and fritters to big couscous, rice and pasta dishes and an abundance of granitas, ice creams and desserts, all stunningly photographed. Recipes include:
Saffron arancini
Smoky artichokes with lemon and garlic
Whole roasted squid
Sicilian octopus and chickpea stew
Aubergines stuffed with pork
Roasted pork belly with fennel and sticky quinces
Bitter chocolate torte
Limoncello semifredo

Dive in and experience this unique culinary heritage for yourself, bring the sights and sounds and aromas of this beautiful food to your home.

Ben is the Culinary Director of the Stafford London in St James's, where he oversees the food offering throughout the hotel including the Game Bird restaurant, the American bar and private dining. In September 2019 Ben opened Norma, a Sicilian-Moorish influenced restaurant. The restaurant features a bespoke raw bar serving Sicilian-style crudos and a first-floor bar serving seasonal, understated cocktails and a selection of Marsala served by the glass.

Ben appears regularly on TV including Saturday Kitchen, Sunday Brunch, and Masterchef and writes for Delicious, Guardian, Telegraph, Times, Noble Rot, Restaurant magazine, Chef magazine, and other publications. This is his fourth book.

Ben lives in East London with his wife Nykeeta and his French bulldogs.

@ben.tish / chefbentish.com