Palermo’s Street Foods. The Authentic Sfincionello

Abstract

The so-called ‘Street Food’ is often claimed to represent a different version of the edible product in the Mediterranean Basin, in the same area of the ‘Mediterranean Diet’. This style is perceived and claimed to be a synonym of ‘safe’, ‘healthy’, and ‘hygienic’ food eating behaviour. Actually, related foods are mainly considered ‘safe’ because of their composition and the presence of antioxidants. On the other side, ‘street food’ concerns only ready-to-eat foods and beverages which are prepared and sold literally in city and town streets and in similar places (including also small food trucks). This feature is observed worldwide (United Kingdom, United States of America, etc.) and can be studied in Italy, and especially in Sicily, where cheapness and other reasons have to be considered. The prominence of fried street foods in Sicily should be considered as a peculiar heritage of ancient civilisations, including arancina/arancino types and pizza (or focaccia)-like products. The present Chapter concerns one of the most known street food specialities in the Palermo area: the ‘sfincionello’ product—with some digression concerning similar foods—by different viewpoints including history, possible ‘authenticity’ features, identification of raw materials, preparation procedures, concomitant alternative recipes, and nutrition facts.