Mazara del Vallo

1 July 2011-Gaetno Riina, the mafia boss of Corleone was capture today in Mazara Del Vallo.

This major fishing village is one of the reasons for my trip to Sicily. My maternal grandparents were born, married, and began their family here.

The city felt like I was walking through a village in North Africa. Since the city is home to one of the largest fishing fleets in Italy, it was no wonder that  the Mazara river was

packed with trawlers all the way to the fish markets. The Kasbah, in the Tunisian quarter, was an intriguing den of alleys and backstreet charm.  Walking past the Tunisian cafes I could see and hear the clacking backgammon tables and smoking bubble pipes they called chicha.

It’s not a town I normally would have visited, but I wanted to walk the streets my ancestors did. It is the background of my mafia novel, Seeds of the Lemon Grove.

Seafood is on all of the menus in the trattorias.  Tuna, squid, swordfish, were served with pasta, but I opted for the mussels.

I wanted a taste of my grandmother’s cooking.  Her recipe is listed below.

Mussels with Sambuca and fresh basil.

20 large mussels bearded and scrubbed.

2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced

1 tea spoon of fresh oregano

2 pieces of basil thinly sliced

A pinch of red pepper flakes

1 tea spoon of Italian parsley

1 table spoon of unsalted butter

2 table spoons of Anisette. (Sambuca)

1 tea spoon capers

1 cup tomato sauce

2 table spoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Add the olive oil to a sauce pan over med heat. Prior to it smoking and the garlic until it browns. (a few seconds) Add the mussels,salt,  pepper, capers, and red pepper flakes.  Toss and mix and take away from the heat. Add the anisette. Be carefull when you let the alcohol burn off and then add the tomato sauce. Toss again and cover. Cook over medium heat and until shells open, about 2 minutes. (Discard any shells that do not open) Remove cover and add basil and parsley. Swirl in the butter.

Serve with plenty of Italian, not French, but Italian bread.

Selinunte-Castelvetrano-Marinella

On the southwest coast of Sicily, not far from Mazara del Vallo, lies one of the largest and most impressive archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Selinunte is beautifully located, sitting on a high plain overlooking the sea. It was founded in 628 BC and became embroiled in clashes with the Carthaginians and Athenians.

After being sacked in 409 BC, the city never fully recovered and was destroyed in 250 BC.  Fortunately the temples are in splendid isolation. East of the temples, on the coast, is the village of Marinella.  A drive along the southern coast to see these temples is a must for the archaeological sites on the island.

The nearest little town to the north is Castelvetano. It has a small archaeological museum worth dropping in to see.

I found Selinunte a wonderful place to picnic. Tables are provided off the main road between the temples. My lunch consisted of a bottle of Corvo, a Sicilian red wine. A sandwich of salami, provolone, prosciutto, and some Italian pastries.

Siracusa-And The Island of Ortygia

  

 Cicero called Siracusa the loveliest city in the world: the city prides itself on its tourism. It is the third most visited city in Sicily behind Palermo and Taormina. Founded by the Greeks in the 18^th century B.C. Siracusa lies on the southeast corner of the island. For me, as a tourist, I broke it into two parts.

     This ancient city grew around Ortygia, the easily defensible island with two natural harbors on either side. Plan to spend much of your time there. It is the heart and soul of Siracusa. Baroque in appearance, the main bridge connecting the island to the mainland is the Ponte Nuovo. Across the ribbon of water severing the mainland from the island, is the Tempio di Apollo. This ruin is thought to have been one of the first great Doric temples in Sicily. The main thoroughfare is the Corso Mattoetti and will take you to all of the palazzos on the island.

     The main street in Siracusa is the Corso Gelone. The section known as Achradina, now, as in Greek times, is the busy commercial center of the city. The main attraction, Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, is on the western edge of town and contains the most attractions. On the Temenite hill, is the Teatro Greco (Greek Theater) one of the great theaters of the classical period.

    The Amphitheater Romano was created at the time of Augustus. It ranks as one of the top five the amphitheater left by the Romans in Italy.  North of Achradina, the old residential quarter of Tyche holds Siracusa’s catacombs. Epipolae holds the old defensive walls and the solid remains of the Euryalus fort.

     Like the other cities along the Sicilian coast, tuna, shellfish, squid, seafood is the main fare found on the menus in the trattorias.

     Laura Galluzzo’s  Sicilian version of Barbeque shrimp is listed below. I ate this meal at a Trattoria on the island.

Makes 2 servings

 2 dozens large shrimp

1 teaspoon. ground red pepper (cayenne)

1 teaspoon. black pepper

½ teaspoon. salt

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

½ teaspoon. rosemary

½ teaspoon. Oregano

1 tablespoon capers

1 can diced tomatoes* (optional)

1 stick butter (unsalted)

 5 tablespoons butter

 1 ¼ teaspoons minced garlic

 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

 ½ cup kalamata olives

 1 lemon sliced thin.

     In a small bowl combine the seasoning mixture. Combine the 1 stick of butter, the Worcestershire sauce and seasoning mix in a large skillet over high heat.

Add the shrimp when the butter has melted. Cook for no more than 2 minutes shaking the pan in a back-and-forth direction.  Add the capers and kalamata olives and the additional 5 tablespoons butter and slices of lemon.

Plate and serve with lots of Italian bread for soaking up the juices.

Agrigento-And The Valley of The Temples

The air was crisp, and the sun was high, as I traveled north-west along route ss115. The sign read, Porto Empedocle, which meant, according to my grandfather,  Valli dei Templi, The Valley of the Temples, Agrigento.

The valley is filled with wild thyme,  fennel,  almond blossoms, and olive groves. It forms a natural amphitheater with a string of Doric temples.

Then suddenly,  like an explosion, the Classic world comes alive.  At the end of the Via Sacra lies the  Temple of Concord, the best preserved Greek temple in the world unfolded before me.  I froze transfixed as I had done as I had done when first I laid eyes on the David.

The temple sat  there with a message. I’m here and I’ll always be here.  Sadly, I couldn’t walk through the temple. “Work in progress,”  which is a familiar Sicilian refrain, kept me on the sidelines. Bring plenty of film, if you don’t, the shops will make you pay.

The locals told me one has not lived until seeing the image of the temple change at dawn, at sunset, dusk and moonlight. Fortunately for me, I stayed at a hotel that afforded me this opportunity. Although there are many beautiful, ancient, Greek temples in Sirasusa, Selinunte, The Concord is the grand-daddy of them all. It is NOT to be missed. Neither is the meal I had that evening.

On the balcony of my hotel I enjoyed a bottle of Nero d’Avola. With the sun setting through the columns of the Concord, I devoured a loaf of Sicilian bread, and a wonderful bowl of Linda D’Amato’s pasta fagioli receipted below.

Pasta Fagioli

1 1/2 pounds of ground sirloin                                1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes

1/2 chopped yellow onions                                      1 12-ounce can tomato paste

1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced                                      Pinch of Basil, oregano, rosemary

1 cup of chopped celery                                            1 cup of dried noodles

1 1/2 cups of small carrot sticks                               1 cup of chopped kalamata olives

1/2 cup capers                                                         Salt and pepper taste

3 cups of cooked white beans                                   1 cup of kidney beans

1 1/2 pounds chopped beef sirloin

Brown the sausage and in a large pot.  Add onions, garlic, celery, carrots, beans,  tomatoes, tomato paste, capers, olives,  and beef  broth.

Add a generous pinch of the herbs,  and several cups of water according to the desired thickness of the finished soup.

Simmer slowly for 2 hours. Add more water if needed. Add the noodles and salt and pepper taste.  Simmer until the noodles are tender.

Taormina

Taormina started as a Siculi settlement at the foot of Monte Tauro. It was a Greek settlement until they were driven into the sea by the Roman army in 403 BC.  It is Sicily’s most dramatic resort. French visitors liken Taormina to a Sicilian St. Tropez.    

D.H. Lawrence was equally enamored with the Hellenistic city, calling it “the dawn coast of Europe. ”Local gossip has it that the town is uncontaminated by corruption because, even the Mafia likes a crime-free holiday. Its main attraction is the Teatro Greco, a setting that is pure drama. On a clear day Etna is seen at its most majestic. The theater is cut out of a hillside overlooking the Ionian Sea. In Greek theaters, sea and sky were the natural backdrop.

In the novel, Seeds of the Lemon Grove, this town was the first stop in Phillip’s understanding of his heritage.

The Corso Umberto Primo is closed to traffic, and  runs the length of the town. The shops here cater exclusively to tourists.

There   are two annual festivals. A classical dance and music festival in the Greek Theater, July 15, and the Taormina International film festival, July 30.

Theresa Campisi’s Swordfish with Pasta

Boil pasta, drain and set aside.

1 lb. Fettuccine pasta

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 crushed garlic cloves

23 cherry tomatoes halved

½ cup pitted Kalamata olives

¼ cup red roasted red bell peppers

1 tsp. lemon zest

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbs. thyme

1 ½ lbs fresh swordfish cut into 1 inch cubes sprinkled with salt

1 lemon sliced thin-¼ cup basil

Heat 1 tbs. olive oil in separate pan and add garlic until lightly browned

Add tomatoes cook, about 1 minute, to soften

Add olive, bell peppers, lemon zest, red chili, thyme and cook for about 3 minutes.

Prior to serving add the swordfish to the herb and tomato mixture. Combine until fish is cooked through.

Pour over drained pasta . Serve topped with lemon slices and basil.

Cefalu-And Its Food

This charming little town lies forty-five miles east of Palermo, and is one of the Sicily’s undiscovered jewels. Small retail shops, sell their wares, along a maze of medieval cobblestone streets that wind through the town down to sandy beaches along the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The origin of Cefalu is very ancient, perhaps pre-historic. It became a satellite of Rome (third century B.C.) In the second half of the ninth century A.D. it gravitated to the Arab emirate of the capital. Taken over by the Normans (eleven century), the village grew considerably.

The two main attractions of Cefalu, aside from the sandy beaches, is the two-tower magnificent cathedral. It was built-in the first half of the twelfth century in the time of King Roger II.  The mosaics date back to 1138. The Osterio Magno is what is left of a palace of the Norman period.  What are of particular interest are the fine lancet windows of the old buildings. The palace remains close, but serves as a venue for temporary art exhibits.

Since I was on an island in the Mediterranean, I thought I had to order something out of the sea, but I was wrong. The hotel clerk made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. It was the eggplant alla parmigiana, He told me this delicious meal is served in many of the small trattorias throughout the city, and you don’t argue with a Sicilian. One bite and I could feel the juices of eggplant, cheese, and tomatoes spray though my mouth.

Now it’s your turn to enjoy.

         Buon appetito

Sicilian Baked Eggplant Recipe

Serves 4

Know as eggplant alla parmigiana, this delicious meal is served in many of the small trattorias throughout the city.

1 med-size eggplant, trimmed, peeled and cut lengthwise into ¼ inch pieces. (Slice thin)

1 tbsp. salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups of bread crumbs

Olive oil for frying

2 1/2 cloves of garlic

4 cups of tomato sauce

1 cup of capers

1 cup of Sicilian olives

20 slices of mozzarella

Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 2 tbsp of salt and let stand for about an hour. Then pat the slices dry with a paper towel.

Dip the slices into the beaten eggs, shake off excess and cover with the bread crumbs

Heat about an inch of olive oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, place slices into the oil. When they are slightly brown on one side, turn and fry the other side. Place the slices on a paper towel to drain the oil.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over med heat. Add garlic, capers, and olives until the garlic begins to color. Add the tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Spread cup of sauce to the bottom of baking dish. Cover the sauce with the sliced eggplant and top with mozzarella. Spread tomato sauce and repeat until all the eggplant and cheese are used.

Bake about 15 minutes or when the cheese has melted.

Serve with Ruby red dry Faro.

Sicily

       

                                                                                                                                       The Sicilians

       The Greeks shaped our sensitivity of light and harmony.

       Muslims brought us the fragrance of oriental gardens, but also sowed us in a passion laced with deceit.

     The Normans crowned our panoply with the sword of loyalty, bravery and stern conscience.

    The Spaniards gave us a quickness of tongue and haughtiness, the magnificence of words and pageant, the nobility of our code of honour, but with a strong taste ashes and death.

                             Gesualdo Bufalino