'Nfigghiulata Antica
'Nfigghiulata Antica
Something I hoped to find on my recent trip to Sicily was 'Nfigghiulata. I searched Palermo's restaurant menus posted in windows, pastry shops, bakeries, but couldn't find a single one. Even online it is an elusive term to search for, it's complicated spelling doesn't help matters.
'Nfigghiulata must be very old. The recipe I learned from my late mentor Carlo Middione called it 'Nfigghiulata Antica meaning 'in the old style' or 'ancient'. He suggests it most likely comes from the time of Saracen rule of Sicily from at least 900-1100 due to the tradition of forming the role into a crescent shape when there is no other reason to do so. I always thought it would make more sense to shape it long and straight to make slicing later more uniform. However every one I ever made including this one just for myself I couldn't resist sticking with the traditional crescent. Croissants are shaped this way for the reason, because they share the same origins.
The actual Saracen (or Moorish, or Berber, or Muslim.. terms change over time) influence in architecture and cuisine lasted much longer than their relatively short rule, in fact most of the more famous Sicilian dishes recognized world wide stem from this period; Caponata, Cassata. Arancini, Cannoli, Pasta coi le Sarde, Panelle, etc.
Carlo's recipe for 'Nfigghiulata Antica is really regal, focaccia dough (or Scaccia) is rolled thin, topped with lightly cooked ground veal, swiss chard, onions, spring onions, pitted olives, cauliflower florets, minced salami, provolone cheese then rolled up gently, shaped into a crescent, then baked for an hour taking time to baste it with olive oil every fifteen minutes.
If you are curious enough to want to make this may I suggest Carlo’s indispensable cookbook The Food Of Southern Italy page 64.