Archive | Italy

we have a castle in our front yard

May 21, 2013 at 1:34 pm

When people in my little Sicilian town ask me where I live, I love my answer: “Io vivo vicino al castello.” I live near the castle.

They raise their eyebrows and smile appreciatively. Not many Americans would ever choose my neighborhood, which was originally built in the Middle Ages and boasts narrow cobblestone streets barely wide enough to fit our Honda Civic.

“You live near the castle?” they repeat, smiling. “The Campinole neighborhood?”

I nod, thinking of the green-and-gold neighborhood pride. “And I love it,” I reply sincerely.

And I do. Living in our neighborhood isn’t always easy. Our car has lost a lot of paint as we have learned how to drive and park on streets meant for horses and ox carts. We’ve shivered through the winters in a house without any heating system. We often feel out of place and isolated in a neighborhood that is entirely Sicilian (and mostly elderly). Many evenings our dinnertime conversation is almost drown out by drumbeats outside our front door as the neighborhood’s musicians practice for the annual Medieval festival.

But for all its quirks, this neighborhood is impossible not to love. The faded buildings and cobblestone streets are so quintessentially Italy. The old women with their shawls smile from the windows, the old men pause to greet Lena (“ciao, bella!”) on their walks to the piazza. There is a closeness, a real spirit of the neighborhood, which comes from its endless preparation and hosting of the Medieval festival every summer. All year round the youths practice their baton twirling, their dances, their drum routines, their flag throwing. For a week every August the whole island of Sicily knows about Motta Sant’Anastasia, and the best performances of all happen just outside our house in the piazza in front of the castle.

Last week Lena, Gil, and I went on a walk on a windy afternoon and ended up inside the castle itself. I only visit the castle every 6 months or so, even though I look at it every single day outside my front door. In the photo on the left above, our house is the yellow one, and the photo was taken from the castle’s window.

The castle was built in Motta when the Normans invaded Sicily, and the costumes and artifacts inside the castle are from that time period. I love watching the informational video with our visitors because it reminds me of the generations that have lived on the edge of the cliff for centuries before my little American family took up residence here. In the castle there’s even a dungeon (above right) with a true story of a rightful duke who was thrown into it!

Stairs (and stairs and stairs) lead up two more levels to the top of the castle, where there are beautiful views of Etna over the valley (above right).

And finally, more mannequins in Medieval garb and more beautiful views from windows. What an amazing privilege to live in such a place, where we have gelato in the piazza, a volcano across the valley, and a castle right outside our front door!

11 :: in home sweet home, Italy, Sicily, Uncategorized

a Sicilian tradition :: Breaded Eggplant Cutlets

May 14, 2013 at 2:07 pm

Recently Elliott and I have been trying to eat more vegetarian meals, especially after reading the fascinating results of this study. I also am always trying to find new eggplant recipes, because eggplants are cheap, plentiful, and everywhere in Sicily. This isn’t easy when I don’t particularly like eggplant! (Do you??) I have recently learned two great eggplant recipes (a Sicilian pasta dish and an Italian antipasto). But eggplant and me… still not great friends.

However, when I bit into these uh-may-zing eggplant cutlets at a recent cooking class, I began to reconsider my preferences. Maybe it’s because everything breaded and fried is delicious? Here’s how to make them at home:

First, peel and slice the eggplant lengthwise.

Then dip it in beaten eggs.

Dredge the cutlets in a mixture of breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and salt.

Fry ’em up in butter. Or vegetable or olive oil, as you prefer. (The health study I mentioned earlier would probably recommend olive oil over butter. Just a guess.)

Remove from the pan and let drain on paper towels. As soon as they’re cool enough (they’ll burn your tongue!), cut them up and enjoy.

If you don’t have time to do the breading and frying yourself, Trader Joe’s sells pre-cut and pre-breaded eggplant cutlets. They recommend using them as a meatless main dish and adding a little tomato sauce and cheese on top… yum yum!

I’ve included the kitchen-friendly recipe below. Do you have an eggplant recipe you love? Please share any ideas in the comments; I need some new recipes!

Breaded Fried Eggplant Cutlets

INGREDIENTS

1 large eggplant
¾ cup plain breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt
2 eggs
Vegetable oil or butter

DIRECTIONS

Peel & slice eggplant into ¼ width cutlets
Dip cutlets in egg wash.
Dredge eggplant pieces in breadcrumb mixture (breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, & salt).
Fry eggplant cutlets in vegetable oil or butter in large, non-stick pan until brown on both sides.
Remove from pan onto paper towels.

14 :: in eat this, Italy, Sicily

saying goodbye, Sicilian style

May 6, 2013 at 2:34 pm

Oh, sigh… bittersweet pictures. They’re from a goodbye party for some of our very dear friends — Emily, Nathan, and their little daughter Ava — who left Sicily last week. I still can’t believe they’re gone! Emily and Ava came up to my house every single Wednesday to play and visit. This Wednesday is going to be especially glum.

They did host a fabulous goodbye party for themselves, though. The location they chose was the farm of Mariska and Emilio, an Italian and Swiss couple whose beautiful farm — Azienda Agricola Infantino — is hidden away in the rolling green hills of Sicily. Mariska and Emilio host groups for al fresco lunches and dinners, offer Italian cooking classes, and sell their delicious olive oil online.

We spent a late April afternoon there, soaking up the sun and eating pasta with half-a-dozen different sauces. The children jumped on the trampoline and played with the animals; the adults traded off child duty and otherwise sat in the shade and drank wine. If there is a good way to leave Sicily, I think our friends found it!

^ The town of Mineo is perched on the hill behind Nancy and Becca.

^ Trampoline time… for hours! The farm owners’ daughter fell in love with Lena.

^ Awesome truck, regal turkey.

^ Bethany and Emily before lunch was served outside.

^ On the right, this is how you drain a pot of pasta for 30 people!

^ Cramped photo of my lunch. I’m learning it’s very hard to take pictures with a baby in your arms!

^ Four-week-old kittens!

^ Mama spotted us humans with her baby, gathered him up by the scruff of his neck, and carried him back to his nest.

^ Gil, just chillin’ and blowing spit bubbles (his new thing).

Happy trails, dear friend! Can’t wait to see you soon in your new digs.

17 :: in agriturismo, animals, friends, Italy, Sicily

a Sicilian tradition :: Caponata recipe

April 24, 2013 at 12:00 pm

Last week some friends and I got together for another cooking class. This time we learned three classic Italian dishes, and I’ll be sharing step-by-step instructions and recipes over the next few days. The first recipe is for caponata, also called “eggplant relish,” which is a very traditional Sicilian dish. The combination of eggplant, peppers, mushrooms, celery, nuts, and vinegar make a tangy, flavorful side dish that my American friends rave about.

Here’s the how-to guide with the complete recipe at the end of the post!

First, cut your eggplant into 2-inch cubes. Cover with Kosher salt to draw out the bitter taste and let stand while you prepare and fry the peppers.

Cut your peppers in half, remove the seeds and stalk, and then cut them in half again. Chop the quartered pepper into bite-size pieces. Fry the pieces in vegetable oil in batches, removing them when a fork will slide into them without resistance. Remove from pan and put them on a bowl or plate lined with a paper towel.

Return to your eggplant. Rinse, drain, and dry the eggplant before frying it in small batches until lightly browned. Remove from pan and put them on a plate lined with a paper towel. (You can see more explanation about frying eggplant in this post.)

Now make the sugo, or sauce.

To make the “sugo di caponata,” first fry a chopped onion and celery together for 5 minutes. Then add a 1/2 can of green olives.

Add 1 cup of tomato sauce OR fresh tomatoes and a spoon of tomato paste. Sautee together with a teaspoon of salt.

After the mixture begins to boil, add in peppers, eggplant, sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Cook until dissolved and continue to stir for two more minutes.

Finally, add capers, raisins, or pine nuts if desired. Top with fresh basil. Buon appetito!

Caponata Recipe

Ingredients

Vegetable oil
2 medium-sized eggplants
2 large red peppers
2 small onions, diced
3 large stalks of celery chopped into large 1-inch pieces
½ jar green olives without pimentos
2 TBSP sugar
1/3 C apple cider vinegar
1 C of salsa di pomodoro, passata OR fresh tomatoes with 1 spoon of tomato paste
Optional additions: capers, raisins, or pine nuts
Fresh basil leaves

Directions

Chop eggplants in large (2 inch) chunks. Place in colander and sprinkle with salt to sit for 30 min-1 hour.
Deseed peppers, chop into large (2 inch) chunks. Fry batches in vegetable oil with salt in deep pan until partially done and a fork slides into them easily. Put in a bowl with paper towels to drain.
Rinse, drain, and dry eggplant before frying in batches in vegetable oil. Sprinkle with salt while frying. Fry until light brown and partially done. Put in a bowl with paper towels to drain.
Sugo for Caponata: Heat up oil in large non-stick pan. Add diced onion and chopped celery and cook until fried (5 minutes). (Add more oil if it is dry.) Add ½ jar whole green olives without pimentos to mix. Continue to cook until browned. Add about 1 cup of salsa di pomodoro, passata, or fresh tomatoes and a spoon of tomato paste. Sautee together stirring constantly. Add about 1 tsp of salt.
Add peppers and eggplant. Stir all together over high heat.
Add two tablespoons of sugar and 1/3 C of apple cider vinegar and mix together until dissolved. Add to pan and stir. Cook for two more minutes while stirring. Salt to taste.
Add optional ingredients and fresh basil if desired.

13 :: in eat this, Italy, Sicily

first gelato of the summer!

April 18, 2013 at 12:44 pm

“We haven’t gone to get gelato yet,” Elliott said randomly over dinner the other night. “The gelateria has been open for the season for a few weeks now.”

My ears perked right up. He was talking about gelato? In our house, I am definitely the sweets person. This was wonderful!

“Would you like to walk there after dinner?”

“Ummm… sure!”

The gelateria in our town is just a 10-minute walk from our house. This, in my experience, is just the right distance to digest your dinner, take in the town, and prepare your taste buds for the deliciousness ahead. The owner and his wife know us after our ~~frequent~~ daily trips there with our many visitors last summer. If you’ll pardon my pun, life just seems sweeter in this cold world when you’re friends with the owner of a gelateria.

^^^ Pistachio and chocolate, my old standard.

This last photo is from Instagram, so the quality isn’t the best, but it was too good not to share. At first Lena was distraught that she didn’t get her own cone, but when she saw how liberally we shared with her, she changed her strategy. The child ate more gelato than dinner that night!

Do you have a favorite ice cream store — or, if you’re lucky, a gelato shop — in your town? What’s your favorite flavor? Once I’ve gotten my fill of pistachio and chocolate, I like to move on to pure Nutella gelato… it’s life changing.