Passione di Sicilia – Sundried Tomato Spread

Passione di Sicilia, sun-dried tomato and olive spread

Passione di Sicilia is a savory spread made from sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, capers, and basil, dressed in olive oil. Bold, salty, Mediterranean—a spoonful of Sicily on bread, like a sun-dried appetizer in a jar, ready to serve.

Passione di Sicilia is a savory spread made with 35 percent sun-dried tomatoes, along with black olives, capers, red wine vinegar, basil, garlic, and a hint of chili, all in extra virgin olive oil. Dark red, coarse, and chunky, it has an intense taste of sun-dried tomato, is salty from the olives and capers, with a subtle heat from the chili.

Dark red, salty, Mediterranean aroma

As soon as you open the jar, it smells of sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and herbs—concentrated and spicy, like a Sicilian pantry. The texture is coarse and juicy; it is not a smooth purée, but a spread with visible pieces.

The spread is dark red and coarse, with recognizable bits of tomato, olive, and caper. On bread, you first taste the concentrated, almost sweet tomato, then the saltiness of the olives and capers, the acidity of the red wine vinegar, and finally the gentle heat of the chili. Bold and spicy, yet not heavy—a spread that tastes of the south and summer.

On bread, in pasta, with cheese

Its quickest performance is as a bruschetta—a spoonful on toasted bread and the appetizer is ready.

Spread on toasted bread or in a sandwich, Passione di Sicilia becomes a quick antipasti bruschetta, delicious topped with mozzarella or a basil leaf. Stir a spoonful into warm pasta for an instant, sun-ripened sauce; add a spoonful to tomato sauce to deepen its flavor; or use it as a spicy accent for grilled meat, fish, or vegetables.

Because it is entirely plant-based, it also has a place on the cheese board—paired with Pecorino or cream cheese, as a splash of color in an antipasti basket, or stirred into cream cheese for a savory dip. Among mild vegetable spreads and creams, it provides the bold, salty character.

Sun-dried tomatoes from Sicily

The tomatoes for this spread are sun-dried in Sicily, where they concentrate their sweetness and depth of flavor.

In Sicily, tomatoes have always been dried in the sun to preserve the summer—over several days, fully ripened fruits turn into a dark, sweet-salty concentrate. Sun-dried tomatoes are as essential to Sicilian cuisine as olive oil and capers. Dressed with olives, capers, and herbs, it makes for a spread that captures the entire island in a single spoonful: tomato, olive, salt, and sun.

Passione di Sicilia is prepared and jarred under the umbrella of Antica Bottega Siciliana, run by Salvatore Novara in Trapani. He brings together specialties from small producers on the island—sun-dried tomatoes alongside pesto, honey, and jam.

A film of olive oil keeps it fresh

Once opened, the spread will stay fresh for several days if topped with a film of olive oil and kept refrigerated—always use a clean spoon to take it out. It tastes rounder at room temperature than straight from the cold. Once the spread is finished, add a little olive oil to the jar, shake it, and you have a seasoned tomato oil for salads or bread.