<P> Sicily shows traces of all the cultures which established themselves on the island over the last two millennia . Although its cuisine undoubtably has a predominantly Italian base, Sicilian food also has Spanish, Greek and Arab influences . Dionysus is said to have introduced wine to the region: a trace of historical influence from Ancient Greece . </P> <P> The ancient Romans introduced lavish dishes based on goose . The Byzantines favored sweet and sour flavors and the Arabs brought sugar, citrus, rice, spinach, and saffron . The Normans and Hohenstaufens had a fondness for meat dishes . The Spanish introduced items from the New World including chocolate, maize, turkey and tomatoes . </P> <P> Much of the island's cuisine encourages the use of fresh vegetables such as eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, and fish such as tuna, sea bream, sea bass, cuttlefish, and swordfish . In Trapani, in the extreme western corner of the island, North African influences are clear in the use of various couscous based dishes, usually combined with fish . Mint is used extensively in cooking unlike the rest of Italy . </P> <P> Traditional specialties from Sicily include arancini (a form of deep - fried rice croquettes), pasta alla Norma, caponata, pani ca meusa, and a host of desserts and sweets such as cannoli, granita, and cassata). </P>

What is the name of the fish often used in italian cuisine