Tag: Palermo

Sicilian caponata: the original Palermo recipe – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Tasty, comforting, it embodies the whole Mediterranean. There caponata Siciliana, side summer par excellence, was born in Sicily and today it is widespread and appreciated throughout Italy thanks to that unmistakable sweet and sour flavour. Cold, warm and room temperature, it really is irresistible and if it is served on a slice of toasted bread it can even represent an appetizer or a main course. Loved by vegetarians and omnivoresinitially it was also prepared with fish, while today the best known variant it is the one based on suns vegetable ingredients.

Sicilian caponata: the numerous versions

From caponata Siciliana they exist numerous versions but what is certain is that the eggplant they cannot be missed and that all the ingredients they must be individually prepared to be united only at the end. In the alone Sicily at least they can be counted four variations of caponata: a Catania among the ingredients there are also: peppers red and yellow, e.g Agrigento in addition to peppers there are the olives black but not the green ones, a Messina woe betide using concentrate for the benefit of tomatoes fresh it’s at Palermo there recipe that is performed is yet another.

Sicilian caponata: the Palermo recipe

A mix of fried vegetables (otherwise it’s not caponata!) and then pan-fried with a sauce based on sugar and vinegar: this is the secret to obtaining the original Palermo Sicilian caponata from the typical one sweet and sour taste.

Ingredients for 6 people

1 kg of long aubergines
250 g of tomato sauce
80 g of pitted green olives
60 g of desalted capers
60 ml of white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 golden onion
1 stalk of celery
extra virgin olive oil
fresh basil
salt

Method

Start preparing the Sicilian caponata by draining the aubergines. Wash them well with running water, cut off the end with the stalk, cut them into slices a couple of centimeters thick and collect them in a bowl. Sprinkle with coarse salt and place a weight on top. After about an hour, rinse them well with fresh water and let them drain on sheets of absorbent paper. When they are well drained, cut them into cubes.
Pour into a large pan oil and when it is hot, fry the aubergines until golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and let them drain on absorbent paper for fried foods.
Clean the celery, wash it with cold water and cut it into pieces more or less the size of the aubergines. Blanch it for a few minutes in boiling salted water and drain it.
Pour the sugar and vinegar into a bowl and mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Keep aside.
Peel the onion and chop it finely. In a saucepan, fry the chopped onion in the oil for a couple of minutes, taking care not to let it burn. Also add the capers and blanched pieces of celery and leave to flavor for a few minutes, stirring often.
Add the olives and tomato sauce to the saucepan. Mix, add salt and cook for five minutes. Finally add the aubergines and the sweet and sour sauce. Mix with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are well blended. Season with salt, turn off the heat and flavor with the basil.
Let the caponata rest and serve it at room temperature so the flavor of the vinegar will be less intrusive.

Which aubergines are used to make caponata?

The types of aubergines that would be best to choose for making Sicilian caponata are the “violet” type, like – needless to say – the long Palermo violet. This type of aubergines are characterized by elongated shape and from very firm pulp which holds up well to cooking while remaining intact and compact.

The 10 best panelle in Palermo. And the recipe – Italian Cuisine

History and recipe of panelle, Palermo street food specialties. Ten addresses where you can find the best ones. And the recipe for making them at home

You cannot visit Palermo without letting yourself be inebriated by the intense and unique taste of a sandwich with panelle, one of the most representative specialties of street food of the Sicilian capital. It is about pancakes based on chickpea flour, prepared with water, parsley and cooked in boiling seed oil. Variable in shape and size – the most common is the rectangular one – they are served hot and seasoned with salt and lemon. Very easy to prepare at home, even if the Palermitans love to consume them in a soft sesame sandwich – muffoletta, mafalda or always fresh – prepared by panellaro, a street vendor equipped with a bee motorcycle called a lapino. "In most cases," he says Gaetano Lombardo, author of the book Crocchè, the panellaro will also offer you the crocchè (potato croquettes): bread, panelle and crocchè together form a truly unbeatable team, that of the triple carbohydrate from Palermo .

The panelle yesterday

According to scholars, the origin of the panelle is to be attributed to the Saracen influence in Sicily. As the chef from Palermo tells us Veronica Schiera "The Arabs were well acquainted with the technique of grinding legumes: they obtained a flour to which they added water and the dough was then cooked in vertical ovens. It was then the Angevins who experimented with frying at a later time . And they are the protagonists of an amusing legend connected to panelle: during the Sicilian revolt against French domination, the Palermo people to unmask foreign soldiers stopped passers-by and forced them to say the word "ciciri" (chickpeas in dialect, legumes at the base of the panelle) and if this was pronounced with the typical rolled r, they were immediately captured. From the writings of the scholar of Sicilian folk traditions Giuseppe Pitre, we discover instead that in the nineteenth century the panelle were called "piscipanelli" (fish-ball) because they are characterized by an oval shape that resembled that of fish, thus giving the illusion to the Palermitans of the popular class of eating fried fish (in the past only the prerogative of of the rich). Another curiosity is that they were eaten on December 13 for the feast of Saint Lucia, a day on which, out of devotion, neither bread nor pasta is eaten: the traditional binge of arancine had not yet established itself. We therefore have two certainties regarding the origin of the panelle: the first is that they were born as food for the poor, to appease hunger, and then that they were bought from street vendors' stalls: "They were one of the street foods par excellence", he specifies Maria Oliveri, passionate about history, art and anthropology. "Prepared by men for other men, usually porters, workers, bricklayers, apprentices: in short, men of toil."

The panelle today

Thin, crunchy and hot: still today – and fortunately – panelle remain an indestructible and intergenerational myth, particularly appreciated also by travelers visiting Palermo. The advice is to try them with the typical sandwich, preferably a mafalda or an everfresco, "enriched", adds Maria Oliveri, "with a lot of lemon juice, a tender illusion that this expedient is enough to degrease the grease from frying. It can be accompanied by potato croquettes (crocchè) season with a little mint or with fried eggplant slices. It is easily found in the fried food shops, in the historic markets and in the alleys of old Palermo .

The rascatura

Panella, despite being a very poor food, still has its own substitute, very humble and delicious, which is the rascatura. Today the dough is mostly poured into molds and then sliced when it has cooled. In ancient times, when it was spread quickly on the molds, despite the speed of action, a good part of the dough solidified on the pot. Thus was born the rascatura: this remaining dough was "rascato", or scraped, mixed with fresh onion, cheese and herbs, formed into croquettes and fried. Because the good Sicilian tradition teaches that nothing in the kitchen should be wasted.

From Genoa to Palermo

Curious is the connection that sees them linked Palermo panelle and the Ligurian panissa. The ingredients are in fact the same: chickpea flour, water and salt. The panissa is cut into strips, fried and wrapped in a foil to be consumed hot among the alleys, the characteristic Ligurian alleys. Nothing strange if we consider that the commercial relations between Liguria and Sicily, on the two opposite shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea, have always been very intense. Palermo has played a leading political and economic role in the Mediterranean basin for centuries and was frequented by the Genoese community which had its point of reference in the "Mercatorum Chapel" of the church of San Francesco d'Assisi and in the church of San Giorgio dei Genovesi. , a few steps from the port. Just as in Liguria the traditional cult of Saint Rosalia, patron saint of Palermo, is very widespread. The panissa in turn derives from the farinata, already known in Roman times: a mixture based on water and chickpea flour. A Genoese legend tells that the recipe was born by chance in 1284, after the battle of Meloria. The ships of the Genoese, which had defeated the Pisans, found themselves in the middle of a storm on the open sea. A few barrels of oil and sacks of chickpeas overturned, soaking themselves in salt water. Since supplies were scarce, the crew tried to recover the purée of chickpea flour that had been created by chance with bowls, which was then left to dry in the sun. The next day the sailors, driven by hunger pangs, ate the contents of the bowls, discovering all its goodness.

The recipe of Maria Oliveri's panelle Palermo

Ingredients for 40 panelle

500 g chickpea flour
20 g fine salt
1.5 l of water and
fry oil

Method

Pour the chickpea flour into a large pot, add the salt and mix by pouring water slowly with a whisk so as not to create lumps. Arrange over medium heat, remembering to stir until the liquid mixture stiffens. When the flour begins to thicken, mix with more energy. It will take about 30 minutes to get to the right degree of consistency. Once you have obtained a homogeneous mixture, turn off the heat. Take a little of the mixture and with a spatula spread it on a marble surface, until a thickness of 4-5 mm is obtained. Leave to cool slightly. Trim the edges using a knife, trying to obtain a precise rectangle about 5 cm high and cut into rectangles about 10 cm wide. Repeat the operation, spreading more dough on the side and making other panelle. Heat abundant oil in a pan. Dip the panelle a little at a time and cook both sides until golden (it will take about 3 minutes). In this way the classic "shirt" will be formed and the panelle will be crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Drain and place on absorbent paper. They can be enjoyed alone or in a sandwich (5 panelle per sandwich), the important thing is that they are always hot.

Wine pairing: panelle and rosé

For the wine pairing we play at home: "The crunchiness and flavor of the panelle", he says Costanza Chirivino by Sallier del La Tour, «goes well with a Sicilian rosé, like our Madamarosè, obtained from the vinification of Syrah grapes grown on the family estate on the hills of Doc Monreale, a few kilometers from Palermo .

The proposal of the chef Veronica Schiera

A goodness that everyone likes, not prepared by the panellari or at home. In fact, even the chefs cannot resist the temptation to offer panelle on their plates. As happens in the bistro The Angelics, in the heart of the historic Capo di Palermo market. "Our cooking philosophy," he says Veronica Schiera, «Is based on the recovery of ancient Sicilian recipes and panelle is never lacking on the menu. We recently created an appetizer with warm and crunchy panelle paired with marinated anchovies and candied lemon. And then also a dish based on rascatura: a millefeuille of discs of this mixture obtained from solidified panelle and seasoned with onion, parsley, caciocavallo alternating with mullet fillets cooked at low temperature and courgette pesto.

10 addresses where you can eat the best panelle in Palermo

Friggitoria da Davide – Via Croce Rossa 199

The success of young Davide's frying shop in recent years has been incredible, from his beginnings in 2016 as a street vendor to his participation in 2019 in the episode of 4 Restaurants by Alessandro Borghese dedicated to Palermo street food. The highlight to try? Obviously the panelle.

Sandwich shop Chiluzzo – Piazza Kalsa 11

The sandwich with Chiluzzo panelle, in the ancient Kalsa district, is always a certainty. To be eaten strictly on the spot together with the "locals" or lying on the nearby lawn of the Foro Italico looking at the sea.

Antica Focacceria San Francesco – Via Alessandro Paternostro 58

Bulwark of popular Palermo cuisine and street food. In addition to the historic headquarters, founded in 1834, other Antica Focacceria San Francesco signs are located in various Italian cities including Rome, Milan and Florence.

Nnì Franco ù Vastiddaru – Via Vittorio Emanuele 102

Name known and appreciated by Palermo and tourists also thanks to the happy position along the ancient Cassaro. Open from morning to evening, you can order a sandwich with takeaway panelle or take a seat in the outdoor area on the side of Piazza Marina.

Focacceria Testagrossa – Corso Calatafimi 91

Open every day, all day, in this fryer you will find not only the unmissable panelle, but also focaccia, crocchè and sandwiches with spleen.

Da Aurelio (ex Don Totò) – Via Isaac Rabin

Salvatore Speciale, called Don Totò, was considered the king of the sandwich with panelle in Palermo. Disappeared at the age of 84 in 2019, his memory is now carried forward by his heirs, with the historic lapino (the bee motorbike used by street vendors) in front of the Cascino Barracks, in the Fiera area.

Testaverde Gastronomy – Via Lorenzo Iandolino 6/7

The Testaverde brothers have been operating in Partanna Mondello for years. Also open on Sunday for lunch, it offers the great classics of street food: sandwiches with spleen, panelle, grilled sandwiches, crocchè and rotisserie mignon.

Antica Friggitoria Fratelli Caruso – Corso dei Mille 803

Since the 1950s this family-run business has specialized in local gastronomy and street food. The panelle, to be eaten strictly with the soft sandwich, are very popular with loyal customers.

Qcinu at Sanlorenzo Mercato – Via San Lorenzo 288

As for the new openings, we point out the oven inside Sanlorenzo Mercato: the sandwich with panelle and crocchè, prepared espresso, is always the ideal choice for a tasty break at any time of the day.

Ke Palle – Via Maqueda 270

A contemporary format, with several outlets in the city, specializing in arancine. Excellent stop to taste the other street food specialties: bread and panelle, bread with spleen, sfincionelli and fried calzoni.

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The 10 best rotisseries in Palermo – Italian Cuisine

Cult objects for the generation of Palermitans: from fried calzoni to rollò, from pizzas to ravazzate, here are the best places to eat excellent rotisserie pieces

"Badly, we'll eat a piece of rotisserie." It is a phrase that you will most likely happen to hear during a tour to discover the beauties of Palermo in the company of a native friend of the place. The pieces in question are pizzas, calzones, ravazzate, rollò and other mythical bakery products, children of the local gastronomy, a true object of worship and adoration by entire generations of Palermo Doc wines.

A question of identity

"In Palermo, the rotisserie has always embodied the concept of comfort food, even before there was such a definition to indicate the universe of sensations, affections and appetites that a dish was able to generate", he says Gaetano Lombardo, author of the book Crocchè, the street food of Palermo in the world. «It is a question of identity: every Palermitan has at least one happy memory linked to the“ pieces ”of his life: from the high-calorie, strictly salty breakfasts, before school or at recess, to the snack in the middle of the night with the teenage groups. But also the quick lunch break, the whim outside of meals or the “on the fly” dinner consumed in a hurry on the street. In short, the guarantee of having a valid, delicious and cheap alternative at any time of the day. And the beauty is that there is only the embarrassment of choice, because basically giving in to the temptation of the rotisserie is never really an alternative, but a convinced choice, an act of love and gluttony, to be renewed every day. after day, forever .

The main ingredient: brioche

A true love story, therefore, is the one that binds the people of Palermo to the iconic pieces of rotisserie. The common denominator is undoubtedly the "Croissant”, A soft and fragrant bread obtained by mixing flour, lard and yeast, capable of marrying perfectly with the ingredients of the dressing and enhancing every single flavor. What makes the brioche pastry unique is the sugar: "The dough from the Palermitan rotisserie", continues Gaetano Lombardo, "is always vaguely sweet and encountering tomatoes, cheeses and cured meats generates an ever-changing taste experience. This is the reason why even the small pizza, the simplest of the pieces, is anything but a small pizza, but an original dish with a strong and unmistakable personality. Starting from the traditional classics, the calzone with ham and mozzarella, the rollò with wurstel, the ravazzata or the rizzuola with meat sauce, the crouton with béchamel, in recent years also the Palermitan rotisserie, born poor like all foods from strada, has been at the center of a process of reinterpretation thanks to the use of delicious condiments and a renewed aesthetic taste in the composition, clearing new combinations and creative forms. Timeless then i fried, with his majesty therice ball at the top of the table and some musts like it bolt, which combines meat sauce and béchamel in a layered composition entirely breaded and cooked in boiling oil ".

The 10 best Palermitan rotisseries

La Romanella – Via Giacomo Leopardi 12
Inaugurated in 1972, this rotisserie located in an elegant residential area of the city is the favorite destination for young people for a break for recreation or after school lunch. The flavors and aromas of the Romanella pieces are imprinted in the memories, and in the palate, of generations of Palermitans. Among the strong points is the legendary fried crouton, two slices of soft bread filled with ham and creamy béchamel.

I Cuochini – Via Ruggero Settimo 68
Walking through the windows of the very central Via Ruggero Settimo, you will notice a curious and unusual line of people inside a courtyard. Do not be afraid and decisively cross the large door of number 68. You will discover one of the secret addresses of the Palermitans: I Cuochini, a small laboratory active since 1826 which is credited with inventing the mini-sized rotisserie.

Scatassa Bar – Via Ammiraglio Rizzo 65
A true Palermo gastronomic cult is that of the fried calzone: a difficult task to elect the best in the city even if everyone agrees – including the most critical tasters – Bar Scatassa takes care of it. For over half a century, the calzone made here has been considered the best in Palermo. The secret of this record lies in its crunchiness, obtained thanks to the use of fried lard.

Bar Rosanero – Piazzetta Porta Reale 5/6
It was born in 1961 as a billiard room with a bar and quickly became the meeting place for the city soccer team to which it was named (pink and black are in fact the colors of the Palermo players' shirts). Even today it is a pilgrimage destination for Palermo and tourists to try the legendary pieces of rotisserie. In addition to the historic site, in the ancient Kalsa district, there is also a second bar with a modern design in via XX Settembre.

Bar Touring – Via Lincoln 15
Adjacent to Bar Rosanero you will find another historic address of the Sicilian capital. Bar Touring for the Palermitans means arancina bomba, which is the largest in the city in terms of size (400 grams). The advice is to also try the spitino (skewer in Italian): a parallelepiped stuffed with meat sauce and peas held together by several layers of bread, everything is then breaded and fried. It was born as an anti-waste solution for the reuse of brioche scraps left over from other processes. In more recent times, a second office has been opened on the Mondello seafront, directly overlooking the beach.

Le Savocherie – Via Sammartino 103
Another reference sign, where you can taste the best pieces of Palermitan rotisserie, is the one opened by Francesco Savoca in 1989 in via Sammartino. The confirmation is given by the many people who come out every day from the well-known gastronomy with large takeaway trays overflowing with arancinette, fried and baked calzones, pizzas, ravazzate with meat sauce and rolls with sausage.

Bar Vabres – Via Michele Cipolla 83
Behind the central station, outside the streets of the center crowded with tourists, is the laboratory of the Vabres family. You will have to go there on purpose and rest assured that you will not regret it. The pieces of rotisserie to try are the arancine – among the best in Palermo -, the spitino with meat and the baked Catania with ham, tomato and mozzarella. Surely one of the places in Palermo with the best quality / price ratio.

Bar Pasticceria Sampolo – Via Sampolo 242
Artisan production and selection of ingredients are the basis of the success of Bar Sampolo. Every day you can find a wide selection of classic Palermo rotisserie pieces at the counter. The renowned gourmet arancine deserve a taste. In 2021 a second location was inaugurated inside the new terminal of the Port of Palermo.

Qcinu at Sanlorenzo Mercato – Via San Lorenzo 288
The bakery inside Sanlorenzo Mercato, the largest food court in Palermo, houses a young shop specialized in well-made mignons: the counter of the shop is a riot of classic pieces and more contemporary specialties, always characterized by raw materials of high quality and great aesthetic care. Must-haves include a piece nicknamed dark brown, stuffed with cooked ham and scamorza cheese and externally encircled by smoked bacon with poppy seeds.

Oscar Pastry 1965 – Via Mariano Migliaccio 39
Not just salty. We close our greedy tour with a famous sweet piece, known in Palermo as iris. It is a soft breaded brioche pastry, with a heart of ricotta cream and chocolate flakes. One of the best iris is prepared by Oscar, a historic pastry shop among the most popular in the city for cakes, traditional Sicilian desserts and pieces of Palermo rotisserie (try also the fried calzoni and the arancine with meat and butter).