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