Sicily’s Puppets

The puppet performance is common in Sicily, and is a tradition stemming from commedia della arte. What makes the shows uniquely Sicilian is their dependence on a single story.

The puppets are carved out of beech, olive or lemon wood, and their limbs are joined with metal links. The amour is beaten to look battle worn and then the faces are hand-painted. The puppets are exquisitely attired and can be up to 5 feet tall.  

The performance is a tale of the battles between Christianity and Islam. The format is unchanged from theater to theater. Stiff-legged knights are introduced.The main two, Orlando and Rinaldo, always appear on the left side of the stage and strut around as the puppeteer lists their victorious conflicts. Orlando is easy to recognise. He is the one with the squint, the eagle on his helmet, and the star on his shield. He is known for this sense of duty, honor, and his rotten luck with women.

The Saracens, stand to the right, poorly dressed in baggy pants and shields with stars and crescents on them.

The battles between the Christian knights and the Saracens may be interrupted by wild animals, lions, bears or alligators. There may be a love interest, too, a jousting tournament for the hand of the King’s daughter. The Il opera dei pupi always draws on ballads such as King Arthur and the Round Table, as well as the Spanish epic of El Cid and his battles against the Moors.

Knights are expected to show mercy, courage, and generosity, but the Sicilian versions settled with bloodshed intertwined with fine speeches.

What ever the conflict it is always accompanied by splashes of artificial blood. The sound of, “With one swipe of my sword, I’ll sever the heads of a hundred infidels,” is shouted out by the puppeteer.  The spicy language, by the puppeteer, and bombast accompanying the scenes are purely Sicilian. They play to the crowd who a treat the action somewhat like a soap opera. The puppeteer cleverly creates suspense by leaving the storyline hanging until the following night. These flamboyant puppets represent genuine folklore, and when visiting Sicily, these performances are a must see.

Sicily’s Islands-Pantelleria

Pantelleria, is the largest island surrounding Sicily. It is closer to Tunisa than it is to Sicily. It has been occupied by whatever power controlled the central Mediterranean. In the seventh century it is believed to be called Hiranin, “island of the birds”, after the birds that stop here on their migratory routes; for the Greeks it was called  Kossrya, or small. It has been used as a place of exile for political prisoners. Mafia activities have threatened to spoil the island which has become a place for them to have their summer villas.

The island is filled with wild scenery and interesting hot springs. The sweet raisin grape called  zibibbo is cultivated here despite the lack of spring water. The white desert wine, moscato di Pantelleria, is the wine produced from this grape.

Celebrities, Mondonna, Sting, often have used the island as a getaway from their hectic concert tours. Parts of Il Postino, The Postman, was filmed here. Please visit filmstocomsider.wordpress.com for an excellent review of this film.

There are no beaches in Pantelleria. Its coastline consists of jagged black rock, but swimming is still good in some open spots. Inland, it is largely mountainous and makes for easy rambling away from the coast.

The love interests, in Seeds of the Lemon Grove, spend a weekend on the island.

The main town is Pantelleria Town and is hardly your ideal tourist port. Most of the town was bombed away during World War II. It was one of the main German bases in the Mediterranean and was destroyed by the constant Allied raids.

Castello Barabacane on the far side of the harbor, is a legacy of the Spanish. It may be unattractive and devoid of interesting sights, but it is not as unsophisticated as some of the other islands off the coast of Sicily.

The island offers the most mouth-watering cuisines and boasts of producing the best capers in the Mediterranean.

If you want to get away and hide, Pantelleria is the place.

My grandmother’s Sicilian fish stew is listed below.                   

1 sliced tomato.

1 cup olive oil.

1 chopped onion.

1 clove of chopped garlic.

1 tablespoon of tomato paste.

1 bay leaf.

3 cups of chicken stock.

1 clove of chopped garlic.

1 cup of chopped fennel.

1/2 lbs of chopped Italian hot sausage.

1 can white beans.

1/2 lbs of scallops and 6 clams.

1/2 lbs of shrimp.

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil.

1/2 tablespoon of fresh thyme.

salt and pepper

1/2 cup capers.

Start by placing the olive oil in a large sauce pan.

Add the fennel, the onions, and the garlic.

When the onions are a light brown add the sausage and the capers.

Mix, and add the tomato paste and chicken stock.

Add scallops and clams.

Let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the shrimp,  salt, pepper and the sliced tomato.                                         

Throw away clams that do not open.

Plate the stew when the shrimp have turned pink.

A loaf of crispy Italian bread and a bottle of Pinot Grigio.

Piazza Armernia-Villa Romana del Casale

Located 3 miles outside of the hilltop village of Piazza Armernia  is the Villa Romana del  Casale. The villa is the largest surviving dwelling from the days of the Romans. The 40 rooms are carpeted with the most spectacular mosaics in Western Europe.

The uniqueness of their tonal shading render them a exceptional work of art.

Some scholars believe it was the  hunting lodge of Maximianus, (Maximianus Herculeus) the co-emperor of Diocletian.  A good deal of the mosaics are animals in hunting scenes giving the hunting lodge theory credence.

The villa consists of four distinct connected buildings on different levels. The mosaics are Roman-African.

In each building there are rooms that carry a different theme. In the Sala delle Unizioni, slaves are seen massaging the bodies of their masters. In the Peristyium, the mosaic are  a group of birds, horses, plants, and wild animals. Branching off from the main courtyard is the Terme, the steam bath room, that provided heat through their floors and walls.

The exact date of its construction is not known, however it is believed to have been completed at the end of the 3rd century A.D. or the beginning of the 4th.

Most of the site has been protected against the weather by a plastic shelter.  Its shape was designed to give the villa its original look.

Plan an all day trip here and then have dinner at one of the local restaurants in Piazza Armernia. Its cobblestones streets give it a feel of a medieval village.  Most of the trattorias serve authentic Sicilian dishes. I had a delicious plate of pasta alla norma.

My aunt Rose’s recipe for pasta alla norma is listed below.

1lb rigatoni pasta

1 med sized egg-plant cubed

5 chopped tomatoes with skin

1 lb pasta

2 cloves of garlic sliced

10  leaves of chopped fresh basil

2 cups of ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons of capers

1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

olive oil, salt and pepper as needed

Heat several tablespoons of olive oil in a sauce pan and place 1/4 of the cubed eggplant into it. Continue to add the eggplant slowly until all have been browned, salting slightly as you stir.  (Not burned, browned) When all have been browned, set aside.

In a separate sauce pan add sliced garlic and when they have browned, add the chopped tomatoes. Stir and add a pinch of salt, basil, red pepper flakes, capers, and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and let it simmer let for about 10 minutes.

Boil water for pasta. When water begins to dance add a pinch of salt and the rigatoni.

When your sauce is the consistency you like and salt for taste and add the eggplant.

Let both the eggplant and tomato blend while your pasta is cooking. When the pasta is al dente, drain and add to the eggplant/tomato mixture.

Sprinkle with ricotta over and serve.

Palermo

This is the island’s capital and its biggest city. It sits in the Gulf of Palermo on the northwest corner of Sicily.

My son and I flew from Rome to Sicily’s largest airport, Borsellino, and rented a car for the trip through the island. When we finally arrived in town I found the city difficult to maneuver through. Being from New York  I was used to the roar of traffic, the wail of police sirens, and the pollution that hug over the city. I felt driving around Palermo would take years off my life, so I let my son drive.

Palermo is old and it looks it. The Phoenicians started this settlement in the 8th century. They named it  Panormus. Along came the Carthaginians and made it the center of Sicily. The Roman conquest shifted the trading from Palermo, to the east coast city of Siracusa. The Vandals came, pillaged and raped the island of its treasures. Next, came the Arabs who built mosques, and palaces equal to the ones in Cairo, Egypt or Cordoba, Spain.

It was the Normans turn in the 11th century and under King Roger, who ruled from 1130 to 1151, the city entered its golden age. Muslims, Christians and Jews lived together in harmony. Palermo became the capital of the Holy Roman Empire in 1208. The French Angevins came to power in 1266. Their despotic rule ended in 1282 with the Sicilian Vespers.

Palazzo del Normanni, the palace of the Normans, is Sicily’s finest treasure. We spent almost two hours there.  It was built by the Arabs and can be traced to the 9th century. It was abandoned by the Arabs, and was restored by the conquering Normans, who used it as their royal residence. Two other sites must be visited. The Cappella Palatine, the Palatine Chapel and the Teatro Massimo. The Cappella Palatine is a example of Arab-Norman artistic genius.  Built in 1130 by Roger II,  and is adorned by the most extraordinary mosaics. The Teatro Massimo is Palermo’s opera theater. Built in 1875-1897 its stage is exceeded in size by the Paris Opera and the Vienna opera house. The final scenes in The Godfather III were filmed there.

What most Americans aren’t aware of is, if the Communist Party would have won the election held at the end of World War II,  Sicily would have become an American colony much like Puerto Rico.

The influence of the Arabs, Normans, Romans, and Greeks have left  a treasure trove  of Mosques, churches and palaces.  Some are beautiful, and worth the visit,  while others are in disrepair and in places that are not safe after dark. The city is crime-laden, but if you’re careful, it’s worth the time spent here. It’s hard to explain, but I loved and hated this city at the same time. I couldn’t get enough of Palermo. Most of the 750,000 people in Palermo, will inform visitors,   “we are Sicilians, not Italians.”

In the Medieval Quarter of the city is the area known as, La Kalsa.  In Arabic, the name khalisa means pure, but this area is anything but pure. It does  It’s as fascinating as it is dangerous. Its alleys are filled with merchants selling piles of blood-red oranges, purple artichokes, and white eggplants., but do not walk though this area alone and keep your valuables back in the hotel.

The most famous market in Sicily is , La Vucciria, which in the Sicilian dialect means voices.  It has been called the “a hungry man’s dream,” and is a must see.  The Mercato de Capo, is a large street market that captures Arabic past.  Palermo is a big city, and if you’re used to noise, traffic, and lack of road discipline, you’ll be right at home.

The finest restaurant, The Charleston Le Terrazze in Palermo, is actually in Mondello, a beach town 7 1/2 miles west of the city. This beautiful restaurant was built in 1913 on concrete pilings above the sea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The food was typically Sicilian. There are food stalls throughout the city that serve deep-fried meat, chick peas, and buns stuffed with ricotta.  Pasta con le sade, pasta with sardines, is Palermo’s most ordered pasta dish.

Below is a typical Sicilian pasta with Sardines recipe.

1 lb pasta- Fettuccine

2 chopped scallions

1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon capers

1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 can of sardines

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Parsley to garnish.

When water for pasta has boiled, add teaspoon salt and pasta.

In a med sized skillet, add olive oil. When oil is hot,  add scallions and garlic.

When the scallions soften add bread crumbs and stir until crumbs are toasted.

Add capers, sardines , and stir for 2 minutes.

When the pasta has been drained, pour onion, sardine, and bread crumbs mixture over and toss.

A bottle of Pinot Grigio would go great with this dish.

Monreale

The most beautiful Arabo-Norman structure in Sicily is located in the small, pleasant, village of  Monreale. Some of the most spectacular mosaics that have ever been produced are on display here. Monreale is less than ten miles south-west of Palermo and is perfect for an afternoon excursion away from the big city.  A bus leaves the Piazza Independenza, in Palermo three times a day, and drops you off at the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, in the village.

The cathedral’s facade, faces the Piazza Guglielmoand, and is flanked by two towers. The sculptor and architect, Bonanno Pisano, the  creator of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, designed the two bronzed doors of the church in 1185. When I entered the cathedral  I didn’t know where to look first. It was as breathtaking as my first sighting of the David.

The Christ Pantocrator dominates the center of the cathedral.  The interior of the church is  simple in design,  which is perfect for the 2,000 figures of golden and colored mosaics. Each altar is decorated to the teeth with small bits of stone colored art. There was more there than I saw in St. Mark’s in Venice.

I spent the better part of the afternoon in the cathedral.                                 

This was here that I had my first taste of Sicilian trickery.

In the village,  I found a restaurant with the name of my maternal grandparents, and wanted to meet the owner. When he came out of the kitchen I told him my family was from Mazara del Vallo. He told me that he was from the same village, and since he had the same family name as my grandparents, we were probably cousins.

I loved my grandmother, as I did her cooking, and sat down and ordered everything that reminded me of her. He told the waitress to go into the cellar and bring me the house wine from Mazara. The meal brought me back to my grandmother’s house in Brooklyn, New York and I ate like as though I was going to the chair.

When the waitress brought me the bill, I went into credit card shock.  I told her I wanted to say goodbye to my cousin, and when his bright smile came back into the dining room he asked me how I liked the food. I told him it was wonderful, but since I was his cousin, and on a fixed budget the bill was high,  so he should give me a break.

His reply was in Italian, “we are not that close.”

So much for being a sharp New Yorker.

Although it was not on the menu, here is my grandmother’s favorite chicken dish.

4-6 pieces of chicken cutlets, pounded thin

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

2 cloves of chopped garlic

1/2 cup of capers

1/2 cup of sliced Kalamata olives

4-6 slices of mozzarella, sliced thin

4-6 pieces of thin prosciutto

2 cups of chicken stock

Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken cutlets

Lay slices of prosciutto on each piece of chicken

Lay the mozzarella on the prosciutto

Roll each chicken piece and secure with toothpicks

Heat olive oil in large sauce pan and add chopped garlic

Place chicken rolls on pan and saute 3 minutes on each side

Scrape the bottom of the pan, and add chicken stock, olives, and capers

Bring the stock to a boil

Remove from the pan, remove the toothpicks

Place on plate and drizzle with the liquid from the sauce pan.

Corleone

The research for my book, Seeds of the Lemon Grove, began here. Even though I am Sicilian, and speak the dialect, I was still a bit apprehensive as I tip-toed through the town’s narrow streets, and ugly buildings.

Corleone was the home of the most violent and ruthless clan ever to rule the Sicilian mafia, the Corleonesi. The mafia scar placed on this town was heightened as the birthplace of Vito Corleone, in the The Godfather.

 

The actual mafia kingpins of Sicily during the 1980s and 1990s, were Giuseppe Morello, Luciano Leggio, Salvatore Riina, and Bernado Provanzano. They ran their organization from Corleone. Acid baths were said to be in the hills outside of town for the purpose of disposing of their mafia enemies. It was perfect place for the feel of the culture of the Sicilian people and the mafia’s brutal impact on this town.

A character in Seeds of the Lemon Grove, Don Nunzio Battaglia, is  based on the life of Don Bernado Provanzano.  Provanzano, who eluded the police for 40 years was captured on April 11th. 2006. A street in Corleone was named, “11 Aprile”  to mark the event. I thought I’d be walking the streets where The Godfather was filmed.  The fact is the scenes of  the bar where Micheal Corleone met Apollonia’s father and the church they were married in, were not shot in Corleone. They were filmed in Sacova and Forza d’Ago, two small villages outside of  Taormina. If I’d have known that, I would have spent another day visiting those towns when I was in Taormina.

There’s really nothing unusual to see here, but I did get a great deal of background information for the book and had a great pasta meal. The sauce was delicious, but it will sear your tongue.

1 lb of pasta

1/2 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons of salt

10 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

3 bay leaves

1 cup of chopped onions

3 cups of chicken stock

3 cups of tomato sauce (preferably San Marzano)

1/2 cup of sliced Kalamata olives

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 teaspoon of red pepper(preferably cayenne)

1 teaspoon crushed rosemary

1 teaspoon of oregano

1 tablespoon capers

1 teaspoon of dried basil

1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

1/2 teaspoon of black crushed pepper

Boil pasta and set aside.

Put olive oil in a large saucepan, one 1 bay leaf, and the sliced garlic.

Stir until garlic is brown on both sides.

Remove garlic and add chopped onions for 5 minutes or until the edges turn brown

Add the remaining bay leaves and all other ingredients

Simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.

Remove remaining bay leaves and pour over pasta.

Finish with parmesan cheese

Serve with a bottle of  Nova d’Avola

Castellammare del Golfo

Castellammare del Golfo’s name translates literary to, “Castle on the Sea.”  It is also known as the, “Fortress on the Sea.” It gets this  translation from the ancient fortress at the center of the harbour. The old fort is the town’s biggest and the only attraction in town. Castellammare’s economy, as many seaside villages in Sicily,  is based on fishing and tourism. It is the birthplace of notorious American  Mafia figures such as, Salvarore Maranzano, Joseph Masseia, Stafano Magaddino and Joe Bonnano.

 

Not much to see here, but the village was used as an background for an important chapter in Seeds of the Lemon Grove.

The food was out-of-sight. Especially the sea bass.

Below is my Aunt Mary’s pan roasted Sea Bass recipe.

2 fillets of Sea Bass (about a pound)

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion-chopped

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 cup capers

1/2 cup kalamata olives

1/2 lb. mushrooms

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1/4 cup minced garlic

Salt, Pepper to taste

2 tbsp Canola oil

1 tbsp Italian parsley

Pre-oven to 450 degrees

Season the bass with the salt and pepper

salute chopped onion in olive oil until translucent

Take the pan fon the flame and de-glaze the pan with the Marsala wine

Add the mushrooms, butter, and capers

Cook until mushrooms are tender-then add chicken stock

Stand away from the pan. and heat the canola oil until it’s about to smoke.

Add the fillets to the pan and cook for 5 minuets. Flip and cook for about 2 minutes.

Place in the 450 degree oven for no more than 4 minutes

Place on a warm plate and top with the olives, parsley, mushroom, onion, caper mixure

A botttle of Santa Margheita Pinot Grigio would be perfect here.

San Vito lo Capo

I believe San Vito lo Capo is one the best kept secrets in all of Sicily. A small village on the north-western corner of the island,  it lies  between two spectacular mountains that over look the sea. It is home to a beautiful long sandy beach and is usually packed with locals. The town’s primary industries are tourism and agriculture.

The festival of Cous cous is a yearly event staged in the heart of town. It’s held in September and is a cook-off set to local and north African music. Cous cous was brought to Sicily from Northern Africa by the Arabs in 827.  With the Normans conquest of Sicily many things changed, but not the use of cous cous. Along with capers, it is a staple in Sicilian cooking.

This is a beach town, period! There isn’t much it see here, but if you like to lay on the beach, read a book, and sip a cool drink, this is the place for you.

There are a number of good, clean places to eat along the beach.  Mostrestaurants terrace face the Mediterranean, and serve typical Sicilian dishes.

 

Below is my mother’s recipe for seafood,  served of course, with cous cous.

2 cups cous cous

1 tablespoon of butter

4 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

2 lbs of a  mixture  of scallops and shrimps

1 pinch of red pepper flakes

3 cups of Italian bread crumbs

olive oil for frying

Peel the shells off the shrimp and with a knife remove the veins.  Wash the scallops and shrimp and set aside.

Fill a deep saucepan 1/3 of  the way with the olive oil. Turn the heat to med-high.

Saute the scallops and shrimp until golden brown. Place a paper towel on a plate and drain the seafood.

Prepare cou cous as you would rice. Boil chicken stock in sauce pan and add cous cous.

Stir mixture and add salt and pepper.

When cous cous has absorbed the stock,  fold in the butter.

I’d forego the wine and have a bottle of Italian beer.

Marsala

Marsala,  is located on the open sea front of Cape Boeo. The city takes its name from the Arabic Marsa-al-Allah, harbour of God.

Julius Caesar in 47 BC pitched camp here on his way to Africa.  Cicero called Marsala civitas splendidissima, the splendid city.

It was here that Garibaldi kicked off his campaign to unify Italy on May 11th. 1860.  Known as the risorgimento, he began the struggle to oust the Bourbons, in the company of his red-shirted thousands.”

It has given its name to the famous dessert wine that is produced in the vineyards situated around the city. The wine trade was founded by John Woodhouse in 1773. Marsala’s wine became popular in England as an alternative to madeira and port.

On he seafront the Stabilmento Florio, the most typical of the Marsala distilleries, most of which are set in bagli, that is walled estates.

Pasta with shrimp or squid are some of the dishes found on the menus in some of the trattorias. in Marsala.

This is a recipe given  to me by a small trattoria off the main square.

2 lbs of shrimp

1 lbs farfalle pasta. (bow ties)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 lbs of wild mushrooms

2 cloves of minced garlic

pinch of red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup capers

3 or 4 sliced cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup of raisins

Boil pasta and set aside.

Place olive oil in sauce pan along with the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, capers, until the mushrooms are tender.

Add the sliced tomatoes, and shrimp until they turn pink.

Combine the mushroom with shrimp, garlic, raisins, and capers and mix with the pasta.

If the pasta looks dry, and a half cup of water from the cooked pasta.

Serve with a white dry wine,  I suggest a Pino Grigio

Trapani

The ferry to the island of Pantelleria embarks here. It brings the protagonist in Seeds, Phillip LaChiana, and the love interest in the book, Nicole Caputi, together for what may be the last time.

Other than the additional background information needed for Seeds of the Lemon Grove, this city was a must visit for me. It was the birthplace of my father. My grandfather was a tuna fisherman who participated in the Mattanza, the brutal slaughtering of tuna. It is the Sicilian word for kill. In May, and June, when the giant bluefin tuna swim past the coast Sicilian fisherman drop large dense nets, and spear the tuna entangled in these nets.

Trapani boasts of some of the oldest salt marshes, and still home to windmills once used to drain water from the basins.  Salt extraction from the water was a technology known to the ancient Egyptians, and in Sicily dates back to the Greeks and Romans.

The best time to visit Trapani is Easter, to see the famous procession of the wooden images representing the last days of Christ’s life.

The Stazione Marittima off the Piazza Garibaldi is an embarkation point for the Egadi Islands and Pantelleria,as wells Cagliari, Sardegna, and Tunis.

The Torre di Ligny is a fortress built-in 1671 and now houses the Mueso Trapanese di Preistoria with its collection of  historic Sicilian treasures.

Below is my grandmothers fried tuna recipe.

4 tuna steaks cut about a 1 and 1/2 thick

Juice of a lemon

3 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 cup of grandma’s special sauce (balsamic vinegar)

½ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon pepper flakes

½ cup capers

1/2 cup kalamata olives

¼ teaspoon black pepper

3 teaspoons Italian parsley

Mix all ingredients together. Pour in a freezer bag and add steaks.

Marinate for about 2 hours before cooking.

Set heat under frying pan to med-high heat. (fire up the grill)

Remove tuna and pat dry.

Add tuna to pan, or grill, and sear for about two minutes. Turn and sear on the other side.

Serve with a dry white wine, such as Bianco d’Alcamo-