Think in taste, appreciate the ordinary

Search
Close this search box.

Trattoria in Palermo

featured image

1. What is a trattoria

There is quite some confusion over what a trattoria actually is. Well, it’s not a restaurant. No excessive elegance, no surprise. In a trattoria tableware is functional rather than refined. The menu hardly ever changes.

Most dishes are so local they’d get lost walking out the door. No fancy plating, no decoration. It is all about the food, and it should come abundantly. 

typical trattoria

2. Primi piatti

pasta anciova, without toasted breadcrumb, very groovy indeed

Trattoria’s are based on pasta dishes. No ado with avoiding carbs there. Pasta will be fresh boiled, he sauces are ready.

One could divide the pasta dishes in two categories. Seasonal and evergreens. Among the seasonal we must mention ‘broccoli arriminati‘ and ‘frittella‘. Evergreen pastas are ‘Norma’, ‘Anciova’ and ‘Glassa‘. 

These pastas come with the matching cheese

3. Secondi

Secondi, meat or fish, come after the pasta. So make sure to leave some space. The fish dishes excel in simplicity. No fancy herbs, no new cooking techniques. Roasted, fried or grilled. A squeeze of lemon, a dash of olive oil.

The some goes for meat. Though there are the obligatory stews and meatballs

Each trattoria has it speciality. Do not forget to ask.

pasta con la glassa, a typical dish for in the local trattoria

4. Contorno

olive oil, vinegar and salt, your diy trattoria salad dressing

In Italy fish and meat come as fish and meat. Potatoes or salads are ordered aside. And usually they do not go on the same plate. If you fancy to transfer them to the main plate, do not hesitate. The etiquette allows that.

Salad is seasoned at the table. By you. Oil, salt and the choice between lemon and vinegar. 

5. Trattoria considerations

A trattoria though is only ‘ordinary’ for local people. For visitors the situation changes. It is by far the best place for an introduction to local food. Unpretentious, simple and a trifle coarse. An excellent place to satisfy your hunger. A place to immerse in tradition, to connect with basic needs.

All dishes served in a trattoria have the potential of becoming champions when served far away. Something you should never forget when eating there.

olio da messina, Sicily

More custom articles

Further more

Reference.guru

man sleeping on a bench with a typical Sicilian hat

From dusk till dawn

From dusk till dawn

An arbitrary selection of the finest place to stay overnight
snooze
silhouette of a man eating, wearing a typical Sicilian Coppola

Dig in

Dig in

Feeling peckish, hungry or ravenous?
waiter, please