Sicilia - no mafia allowed!

August 2018

Our landing in Palermo was made dramatic by the soaring mountain near the runway.

As we rode the bus in the city felt very elegant and refined, but closer to the centre it felt slightly more run down and gritty in parts. As we walked to our hostel we stopped at nearby Ke Palle for our first street food, arancina. The pork with sweet and sour sauce was exceptional.

 

We went out to get some cash to pay for the hostel and luckily had shelter at the right time as the heavens opened up and it began to truly pour down. It was accompanied by the loudest thunder we've ever heard, like artillery fire directly overhead, and bright lightening lit the afternoon sky. It was also only in the mid to high 20s, very unusual compared to the normally hot and dry August in Sicily.

 

Dinner that evening was mostly an apertivo at Bottiglieria Massimo Champagneria where we had a glass of wine each, and unlimited bruschetta (until the toppings at the DIY station ran out) which we supplemented with cheese, meat and bread.  

Aperitivo

For dessert we trekked out to Pasticceria Cappello for cannoli and settevelli (seven layers of chocolate, cake and crunchy caramel) which were brilliant - even if the staff were seemingly slightly annoyed we were buying as they cleaned the shop for the evening.

The next morning we managed to get a late spot on a street food tour which was well worth it. Our guide Angelo showed us the markets and foods of his town in an engaging way, and he also included a lot of non-food related history and information- e.g. the mafia (no longer welcome!), history of run-down buildings, clothing, etc. One of the best guides we've ever had. And the food was so good;

• Paella and croche: chickpea patty and potato patty, both deep fried
• Arancina
• Crema di pistacchio: like a better version of nutella
• Sangue: dessert wine
• Sfincione: pizza with toppings of anchovy and tomato, or onion
• Spleen sandwich: ok, with a strange texture
• Gelato in a brioche bun (common Sicilian breakfast in summer!)
  

 

Apart from the spleen sandwich it was all so tasty and interesting!

 

We'd been wandering around the city and admiring its very cool sights which are courtesy of its interesting mix of Arab, Norman, Spanish and Italian heritage. For example the Norman cathedral is impressive, as are the baroque churches and fountains. 

 

We also thankfully managed to get some washing done at our hostel (a weeks worth of clothing!).

 

For dinner we thought we'd try Bisso Bistrot, a place down the road on Via Maqueda near the four corners as I had a pasta craving. After a frustrating 1.5-2 hour wait for a table we were finally seated near 11pm, sharing a small table with another couple. It was one of the most disappointing meals I'd ever had. My pasta was crayfish and almond and the flavours didn't really complement each other or work that well. Rachel's pomodoro pasta was better. They'd also forgotten one dish we ordered, and I was so tired and disappointed I was not in the best fame of mind as we ate and paid. Bisso Bistrot was massively disappointing.

The disappointing pasta dish (Palermo)

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Today we decided to get out of Palermo. First up was Santo Stefano to the east, a renowned ceramics town. It was refreshing to get out of the train this morning in a quiet town far away from the noise of the city. We had a quick coffee on the elevated terrace of the town - it felt evocative of the Amalfi Coast at times with its sweeping views on high towards the sea. We began perusing the shops on the main street for ceramics for us and as presents. We picked up some nice ceramic items in the distinctive red the town is known for - a cup for mum, a platter for Rach's parents, a larger platter and a bowl for us.

Terrace at Santo Stefano

Lunch was pasta at Tri Quarti e na Gazzusa. My pasta was one of the best pasta I've ever tasted - a thick ringed pasta in a tomato ragu with local fish flaked into it. Exceptional! Rach had a delicious meat and tomato spaghetti pasta that was also not too shabby. We noted two things by this time:

• Sicilian food is exciting because it feels in some ways similar to other Italian food but with subtle spices or flavours you don't quite expect. This pasta had either mint, dill or some other unknown herb giving an exceptional flavour.
• Service in French restaurants is truly a cut above Italian, even in the cheapest spots. We never had slow service or forgotten orders in France, while either or both were frequent in Italy.

The exceptional pasta dish (Santo Stefano)

After lunch we took the train to nearby Cefalu. It had been threatening to pour down the whole afternoon but thankfully apart from a brief light shower it stayed fine for the rest of the day. We wandered through the pretty streets of Cefalu and admired the Norman Cathedral before heading to the beach. We relaxed on the sandy beach for a few hours before getting the train back. After about a 90 minute delay we finally got back to Palermo.

Cefalu beach

  

By this time it was dinner time but Rach was feeling not too hungry and like she needed to swear off deep fried food. I really think the quality and variety of Italian food has made our previously disciplined approach to food on this trip go out the window!

 

So I had a pane e panelle and then we found a few ingredients to cook up an improvised egg, chickpea and harissa dish at the hostel - it was ok, and accompanied by a very good 3 euro bottle of Nero d'Avola.

 

Our next destination for our second night was Siracusa and we had time to reflect on Palermo. Somehow, every component of our stay in Palermo was good - hostel, the history of the city, the food, the sights - but somehow there was something not quite right in the vibe or feel of the city that made our time there less enjoyable than hoped. Maybe it was just the fact it was a fairly big city? Something was off in Palermo...

 

Our last morning was unexpectedly stressful trying to send off a parcel of gifts back home - first needing a box, then an official Italian citizen as return address along with a copy of their ID card - but we finally got there a couple hours later with DHL.

 

The bus ride to Siracusa was through central Sicily so we saw a little of the dry and quiet highlands. Our hostel in Siracusa - Freedom Hostel - was very different from Vespa. Our host was perhaps in the wrong line of work as he seemed uninterested in being hospitable or helpful, unlike Giuseppe in Palermo. It was very quiet there, we had a 6 bed dorm to ourselves. 

 

After arriving we walked to Siracusa's Ortigia island, where the original Ancient Greek settlement began. Siracusa had a very different, more laid back feel to it than Palermo and despite the cloudy/rainy weather it was nice to walk around the island. It was full of yellow stone buildings and houses overhanging small streets with pretty churches making for a very picturesque city.

 

Piazza Duomo, Siracusa

Dinner was at Locanda del Cilleguo where we (particularly Rach) had the life changing experience of tasting caponata for the first time - a sweet mix of eggplant, peppers, olives and sultanas that matched tzatziki for sheer excellence. We also had tasty pasta - mine a spaghetti con sarde and Rach a trofie with pomodoro sauce. We were also treated to stunning views down the end of the street as we dined outside. We capped off the evening with a Birra Moretti outside our hostel as we trip planned - our moves in Portugal.

 

Life-changing caponata

Next day we had breakfast and then owing to the rainy/cloudy/thunder weather decided to stay in the city for the morning. We wandered more extensively around Ortigia then had lunch in the market at Fratelli Burgio. It was one of the best meals of our life. We had the terra platter of tasters along with a glass of wine each. We didn't know exactly what each item was but it was exceptional - a mix of salami, ham, burrata, onions, olive oil, ricotta and others along with a little cannoli dessert. It was definitely one of the best meals we've ever had.

Lunch at Fratelli Burgio

 

After lunch we caught the train out to the Baroque town of Noto. It was nice to spend a couple of hours wandering the streets and admiring the town, which was rebuilt in a single style following the devestating 1693 earthquake. Perhaps most importantly I tried granada for the first time, an event almost as important as Rach trying caponata for the first time. I had almond (the best!), lemon, and pistacchio and the mix of flavour and slushy ice was exceptional. I have a new favourite summer drink! 

Noto

We got the train back and headed out for a very light dinner at Taverna Guidicca Ortigia - just a caponata and bottle of red house wine to share. Again the caponata was exceptional and I managed to get a photo of the ingredients list in case we try to replicate it. All for only 19 euros so it was pretty good value. Siacusa topped Palermo (the supposed Sicilian food capital) for food so we were very very happy with our stay!

 

We had another relaxing morning and thankfully the weather stayed nice for much of the day. We walked North and along the bike track along the coast for some nice views before heading into Ortigia for a lunch of pasta - penne alla norma and gnocchi with ragu, almonds and raisins. Yet again, Siracusa has the goods!

After lunch we got the train to Fontane Bianche, a little town only 15 minutes down the coast. It had been recommended by a local guy on the bus into Siracusa and was a good shout. The beach was very relaxing, despite being busy. The water was light blue, there were few waves and it was nice to swim and nap in the sun for the afternoon as the weather remained fine - just! But as we waited on the platform for our return train it began to rain quite heavily.

Fontane Bianche

Dinner was a little combo of delicious food: first, two pizzas (margherita but with fresh tomatoes instead of tomato paste, and another with added chilli peppers) from Pizzeria Forestiera nearby our accommodation, then a couple of slices from a third Margherita pizza, followed by extraordinary gelato from Il Mastro Gelataio (almond and ricotta/pear for me, and chocolate and Greek yoghurt for Rach). A fitting way to celebrate our last night in Italy together (though of course I will be back in a few weeks in the North with Bruce!).

Next up, Switzerland!