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Insalata mista

Field greens with fresh vegetables, olive oil, and red wine vinegar

Ciaki Ciuka alla Pantesca

Vegetable caponata with almonds, capers, Mediterranean herbs, breadcrumbs.

The Island of Pantelleria is closer to Africa than Europe. The Arabs lived there for two centuries, from 800 to 1000 AD, leaving behind unmistakable traces of their domination. The word chak chouka became ciaki ciuka, a word of Berber origins (an ethnic group from Northern Africa) meaning “a mixture” with which the Arabs define a colorful, aromatic dish.

Frittelle di Alalunga e Finocchietto con Pate di Capperi alla Strombolana

Albacore tuna and fennel frond fritters with caper pesto
($4 supplemental)

Insalata di Gamberi e Menta alla Lampedusana

Chilled shrimp salad with mint, celery, lemon
($4 supplemental)

Carpaccio di Spada Marinato agli agrumi delle Isole Egadi

Shaved swordfish carpaccio cured with citrus

Ravioli di Cernia all’isolana

House-made grouper-filled ravioli with sun-dried tomato purée and pistachio pesto ($4 supplemental)

Bucatini con i Broccoli (cavolfiore)

Thick and hollow spaghetti with cauliflower, saffron, raisins, caciocavallo cheese

Frascatole con Zuppa d’Aragosta alla Moda di Favignana

Rustic, house-made Sicilian couscous with lobster soup. 
($12 supplemental)

At the time of the Angevin domination in Sicily (1266-1282), the women of the people who worked for noble families were entrusted with the task of preparing couscous. When the prepared couscous were too large or uneven, the aristocrats rejected them as unworthy of “refined palates”. The “imperfect” pasta was brought home by the workers who cooked them with humble vegetables in broth. The “bad” couscous was given the name frascatole, a term that derives from the French “flasque,” which means soft. The word was transformed by Sicilians into “frasc,” hence “frascatole.”

Busiate Trapanese di Grano Tumminia con Pesto alla Filicudara

Hand-rolled pasta with Filicudi-style almond pesto and primosale pecorino.

The first records in history of pasta busiata can be found in some Arabic manuscripts dating back to just before the 10th century. It takes its name from “buso”, the stem of “Disa,” a Mediterranean plant. A stick of busa was used to roll and hollow out fresh pasta, forming its characteristic spiral shape. History tells that “agghia pistata” (pounded garlic), came from The Genoese who, in turn coming back from the Far East with their ships, docked in Sicilian ports, and the locals added what Sicily had to offer: almonds, tomatoes, basil and extra virgin olive oil to make their own version of pesto, a type of semola made with grano duro (durum wheat). “Tumminia” is a very special and rare grain variety that has ancient roots in Southern Sicily.

Linguine alla Liparese

Linguini pasta with preserved tuna, capers, olives, garlic, parsley

Grigliata Mista di Carne

Mixed grill: beef strip loin, pork ribs, lamb chop, and Italian sausage, garlic-rosemary roasted potatoes 
($8 Supplemental)

Cous Cous di Pesce e Verdure alla Lampedusana

Grouper stewed with vegetables and Sicilian couscous. 
($8 Supplemental)

The origin of couscous can be established between sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb coasts in medieval times. Easy to store, it was the perfect food for people facing long journeys at sea. In a 1777 anthropological essay on the habits and customs of the Sicilian people by Giuseppe Pitré, a chapter of the book relates an episode of a wedding in Trapani in which the parish priest was offered “a dish with pork called cuscusu left behind by the Saracens.” outdoors.

Ricciola Panata alla Pantesca

Pan-seared breaded amberjack with cherry tomato, caper, parsley relish

Coniglio in Agrodolce alla Salinara

Braised rabbit leg with vincotto, almonds, raisins.

Wild rabbit is a native species of the Aeolian Islands and have always been present in large quantities. The cuisine of the Sicilian Islands is renowned for fish and seafood, but nevertheless sweet and sour rabbit is one of the specialties of the Aeolian Islands.

Salsiccia di tonno alla Moda di Marettimo con Pesto di Capperi

Grilled house-made tuna sausage with caper pesto.

The origins of “sea charcuterie” are traced back to the 13th century, at the time of Frederick II of Swabia. Almost 800 years ago, the then King of Sicily had a considerable interest in the island’s salt pans, due to their importance in preserving food, in particular, fish like tuna and sturgeon. And a strong culture of curing seafood began, particularly on the west coast of Sicily, later spreading to the rest of the region and the smaller surrounding islands.

Cassata Eoliana

Layered cake with whipped ricotta, maraschino liqueur, candied fruit, chocolate.

The term “cassata” is mentioned for the first time in the 14th century, in the Declarus by Angelo Sinesio, who defined cassata as “food made up of bread dough and cheese.” In the 18th century, the sponge cake arrived from Genoa and replaced the short crust pastry and chocolate flakes were added to the ricotta along with candied fruit. The Aeolian cassata differs from the classic Sicilian one in that it does not include “pasta reale” (marzipan) or the external sugar glaze.

Granita alle Mandorle

Traditional Sicilian almond granita with brioche

Bacio di Pantelleria

Fried pastry filled with sheep’s milk ricotta scented with Moscato di Pantelleria and cinnamon

Panna Cotta

Chilled milk custard with fresh berries

classico tiramisu' del Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993

Our signature version of this classic dessert of layered mascarpone mousse, Savoiardi cookies, espresso, and cocoa