The Magic of Christmas in Sicily
21.12.2025 - 28.12.2025
| 4 nights
from 1081,- € per person
Enjoy it, the ADLER way
Swordfish Rolls “a beccafico”
This dish is more than just a recipe—it’s a piece of Sicilian history served on a plate. Its name comes from the beccafico, a small wild bird that was once a delicacy of the Bourbon aristocracy.
Since ordinary people couldn’t afford such a trothy game, they created a clever alternative with fish, shaped to resemble the stuffed birds. Using swordfish is a refined variation on the traditional sardine version, drawing on a catch especially abundant in the Strait of Messina.
The filling captures the sweet-and-sour essence of Sicilian cooking: raisins, citrus zest, pine nuts, bay, and orange juice come together in a balance that recalls the sun, the sea, and the zest of Mediterranean life. The rolls can be baked or grilled, and they are often threaded onto skewers with bay leaves, onions, or orange wedges to mimic the birds they were named after.
As with so many Italian classics, every family guards its own version—some add sun-dried tomatoes, others figs, or a generous crumb coating. What unites them all is a story of the sea, of tradition, and the boundless creativity of the island’s people.
Here is chef Giuseppe Schimmenti’s refined version, step by step:
Ingredients for 4 people:
The filling captures the sweet-and-sour essence of Sicilian cooking: raisins, citrus zest, pine nuts, bay, and orange juice come together in a balance that recalls the sun, the sea, and the zest of Mediterranean life. The rolls can be baked or grilled, and they are often threaded onto skewers with bay leaves, onions, or orange wedges to mimic the birds they were named after.
As with so many Italian classics, every family guards its own version—some add sun-dried tomatoes, others figs, or a generous crumb coating. What unites them all is a story of the sea, of tradition, and the boundless creativity of the island’s people.
Here is chef Giuseppe Schimmenti’s refined version, step by step:
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 170 g soft sandwich bread (pancarrè)
- 20 g passolina raisins
- 20 g pine nuts
- Fresh parsley, to taste
- Juice of a fresh orange, to taste
- 72 g onion, finely chopped
- Breadcrumbs
- 1 anchovy fillets in oil
- Grated lemon and orange zest, to taste
- A small bunch of bay leaves
- Salt and pepper
Preparing the filling:
Preparing the rolls:
Enjoy !
- Soak the raisins in cold water for about 15 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
- Cut the bread into small cubes and dice a little swordfish separately.
- In a pan, gently sauté the onion with the anchovy fillet and a drizzle of olive oil. Add the swordfish cubes and cook briefly.
- In a bowl, combine the bread cubes with the sautéed onion, swordfish, parsley, raisins, and a splash of orange juice. Mix well until you have a soft, even stuffing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preparing the rolls:
- Slice the swordfish into pieces about 1.5 cm thick.
- Lay the slices flat, spoon some filling onto each one, and roll them up.
- Dip the rolls lightly in olive oil, then coat them with breadcrumbs. Secure with a toothpick.
- Arrange the rolls in a baking dish, tucking in strips of lemon peel, orange peel, and a bay leaf between them.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 175 °C (350 °F) for 5–7 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh orange wedges and serve immediately.
Enjoy !