"Sicilia" with Ben Tish

For our penultimate stop on the upcoming winter tour, we’re heading to Sicily to explore one of the oldest and most richly varied food cultures of Europe. Chef Ben Tish has selected some of his favourite recipes from his award-winning cookbook Sicilia and will be sharing his love of the island and what makes the food there so multifaceted and delicious. Expect to learn how to perfectly render a duck breast so it’s nice and crispy, make an indulgent and creamy pasta al forno, and discover “kissing biscuits,” a dessert that’s unique to an island off the coast of Sicily.

When: 10 - 11 March 2022
Price: £85 for two + £5.50 delivery
Cook-along length: 1hr

On the menu

Join us as we travel to the coastal region of Sicily, the Mediterranean’s biggest island, home to majestic mountain ranges, famed Greek temples, and of course, fantastic cuisine. We begin with a bright mackerel crudo with fennel and preserved lemon, followed by a watermelon salad with salted pecorino and pistachios. The main event is duck with a lovely blood orange sauce, alongside a decadent baked pasta with winter vegetables. Dessert is gorgeous ornate cookies made with sheep’s milk ricotta and orange. And don’t miss the special wine pairing (see below for details!)

Click here to view the full allergens list

Mackerel crudo

Fennel and preserved lemon

Watermelon salad

Chicory, salted pecorino and Iranian pistachios

Anatra all’Arrancia

Pan-fried duck breast, salt-cured roasted duck leg, blood orange sauce

Baked Conchiglioni

Butternut squash, spinach, mascarpone, fontina

Baci Panteschi

Kissing biscuits, sheep’s milk ricotta, orange

Ben's Destination Notes

“The food of Sicily is bright, vibrant, and at once both exciting and opulent with a rustic simplicity. The food is a melting pot of cultures – everything from Greek to Arabic, due to centuries of invasion and occupation. These dishes are inspired by Sicily’s bountiful produce, cooking styles and gloriously sun-soaked Mediterranean way of life.

Sicilians are known for their clever and inventive frugalness when cooking; nothing goes to waste. The baked conchiglioni is a perfect example of this – pasta al forno in Sicily is often made the day after the pasta was first cooked to use up leftovers with seasonal ingredients added in. Mine uses butternut squash, spinach, mascarpone and fontina and it’s one of my favourites.

I love the kissing biscuits from Pantelleria, which are unique to this beautiful and otherworldly little island off the coast of Sicily. A delicate sheep’s milk ricotta is sandwiched between two crunchy flower-shaped waffles and dusted with sugar. They’re the perfect way to end a meal.”

About your chef

Classically trained with over 20 years experience, Ben Tish is known for his Sicilian-Moorish influenced food and being at the helm of iconic London restaurants including Salt Yard Group and Norma. Most recently, he's been appointed to the executive team at Cubbit House, a group of high-end London gastropubs. Ben is an accomplished, award-winning food writer with five published cookbooks, including Sicilia, which was published in June 2021 to critical acclaim.

Add-ons

We’ve partnered with our friends at Vintner who’ve selected two exceptional wines to pair with Ben’s menu, both organic and from Terre Siciliane. Fonda Filara Etna Biano is a fresh, dry white wine with flavours of apples, citrus and white flowers, and with a hint of minerality that will pair beautifully with both the mackerel and watermelon. Fonda Filara Etna Rosso is a red wine full of raspberry and cherry with a hint of spice, making it perfect with Ben’s duck with blood orange sauce. Lucy from Vintner will be leading a wine pairing masterclass so don’t miss the chance to learn more about Sicilian wine and discover these unique bottles! (See below for more details.)

There’s also the opportunity to purchase a signed copy of Ben’s award-winning cookbook Sicilia. 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. Visit the shop below to view more.

About the wine pairing masterclass

Lucy joins us from Vintner, the wine company specialising in wine made easy. Lucy has selected two fabulous wines to pair with the Sicilian menu, and what a treat they are! Lucy was really excited to be able to work with a Sicilian wine brief, the area offers such a unique terroir and many indigenous grape varieties, giving the wines real distinguishable character. Being a bit of a foodie herself Lucy really enjoys the aspect of food and wine pairing, not least because it means she gets to try lots of delicious food! Lucy trained through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), and has had various roles within the wine trade from sales and events to presenting on camera. Lucy is thrilled to be part of this fantastic event and promises a lot of fun!