Back to Sicily: The valley of the Temples and the Turkish staircase

12th August

"Looked up, thus thinking, staring at Girgenti that was sitting high on the hill with old houses made golden by the sun, like in a scenery" The Old God, Luigi Pirandello

We got up early to join a couple of friends who is coming here to visit the Temples Valley, one of the best preserved site of the Hellenistic period that in 1998 was acknowledged World Humanity Heritage.
It's warm, very warm and we need a hat because we are going to walk for a while and the sun...burns!!!

We reach the entrance and we go to Temple of Giunone, the one where marriages were celebrated and whose parts of pillars still stand here in front of us and of the beutiful sea that you can admire from here. 
We walk along a partially shadowed path and we reach his majesty: the Temple of Concordia, the best preserved of the whole complex. The name, probably, derives from an inscription that was found nearby. 

We go on walking the Sacred Way and we reach the mansion of Captain Hardcastle and last but not the least, the Temple of Hercules.
On the other side of the street, we enter the second part of the complex where rests of the temples of Zeus, of Castore and Polluce and of Volcano stand.
Nearby, the visit to the Garden of Kolimbetra is a must because of its luxuriant vegetation.

It's too hot and we cannot stand the warmth any longer...we need to take a bath and so we decide to go to the Turkish Staircase which is not far away ... The view is unique and the white of the rocks looks brighter because the sunlight insinuates itself between the deep blue of the water and the light blue of the sky, it' a paradise even if, during summer, a little bit crowded. (It's difficult to park the car too). Our B&B is very close to the hystorical centre and for dinner we reach Via Atenea that is full of ancient churches but not only...it's also full of restaurants and pubs and, during the week end a lot of people is taking a walk.
We stop for dinner at Perbacco - Vicolo Lo Presti, 2. It's so pictoresque and romantic that it is a shame to be here with one of my girlfriends. But the tables prepared on the stairs that lead to the restaurant, with soft light and candles make it magic!!!
For dinner, finally we can taste the

CASSATA SICILIANA

Ingredients: 

400g sponge cake

500g ricotta cheese

100g bitter chocolate drops

1/4 tablespoon vanilla

300g icing sugar

Vermouth

Candied Fruits

Marzipan

The day befor well drain ricotta in a strainer so that you remove all the water and mix it with sugar, Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest one night long.

The following morning, cut the sponge into rectangular slices and place half of them side by side on the bottom of a springform baking tin (with removable sides). Sprinkle with Vermouth.

Work the ricotta to get a creamy mixture, add the diced candied fruits and the chocolate drops with vanilla. Pour the cream onto the sponge slices, cover with another layer of cake and put it in the refrigerator.ì for some hours.

In the meantime, work the marzipa, that you have previously coloured with green food coloring, with a rolling pin so that you get a layer that you will use to cover the cake, once inverted. Chill in the refrigerator till time of serving.