domenica 20 gennaio 2013

Sicily: A must!

9th August
 
Sicily is well known all over the world thanks to some of the best archaelogical sites with temples, theatres and old cities that date back to the classical period. Segesta is a historical city, founded on the Mount Barbaro, not far away from Castellamare del Golfo, not far away from our house and so we decided to go and explore it.
 
After having parked the car we reached the doric temple on foot ... the past in the present still stands there and is so beautiful.
 
We went back to the parking, from where the bus that took us to the upper hill, leaves. It's a very short way but it's too hot to dare to reach it on foot. When you get there, you are astonished in front of such a beauty...the theatre is still there and  it's still used for performances.



From Segesta we leave for Erice, this little medieval town that can be reached both by car and also by cableway from Trapani is a little jewel, it's spectacular even if it's cold and if you arrive here in the evening, don't forget to take with you a pullover. You enter the walls of the city and it seems to be somewhere else, little streets that entrench themselves and the smell....something delicious that reminds us of the ancient tradition of pastries that were baked in the ancient monasteries of the town... So you can taste jams, marsala, almond pastries and nougat. Don't leave Erice without visiting Pasticceria Maria Grammatico. Please remember to give up your diet before visiting Sicily!!!!
Erice is a medieval town whose centre is still preserved and it is surrounded by walls and entrance doors.
The ancient castle, the Venere Castle, that dates back to the 11th Century was built as a fortress where the ancient Sanctuary for Goddess Venus had to be built.

Before leaving the town, we decided to taste our first

CANNOLO ALLA SICILIANA

We were told that the best cannoli are filled upon request, so wherever you want to taste it, please make sure that they will be filled in front of you...it's true!

INGREDIENTS
For the skin



400g flour 00
75g lard
40g sugar
2 eggs
1 white egg

salt
15g bitter cocoa powder
60g dried Marsala
60g white vinegar
Seeds Oil for frying


For the cream
1kg Sheep ricotta
600g sugar
a pinch of powder cinnamon
150g bitter chocolate drops
Candied cherries (2 for each cannolo)
Powdered pistachio


Let's start preparing the skins of the cannolo

Pour in the mixer the flour, the sugar, the cocoa and a pinch of salt. Add the lard and make sure it will be well mixed. Then add the eggs and never stop mixing it, stream the Marsala and the vinegar until you get a soft but solid dough. Make a ball of it, wrap it with transparent film and put it in the fridge for at least one hour.

Afterwards, roll out the dough. You should cut it in circles with 10cm diameters and roll them in oiled spouts. Join the edges with the beaten white egg. Fry them in abundant hot oil, 2 or upon a time. As soon as they get dark golden, drip them and let them cool on blotting paper.

Ricotta cream

Ricotta could be very wet, so before using it, remove its serum. Mix it with the sugar. Let it rest for an hour and then sieve it. Finally add cinnamon and chocolate.

Now take the skins and fill them with the cream. Smooth the external parts with a knife, pass them into the pistachios flour and add the cherries. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve them.



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