CULINARY ITINERARY: HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF COOKING
BETWEEN AVOLA AND POZZALLO

This is a journey without borders, unique and inimitable. A real sensory itinerary, emotional, palatal, that enters the heart of a territory through the element that more than any other characterizes it: food. The dishes of the culinary tradition of these places are inextricably linked to the sea: primary source of food, as well as well-being and healthy air. The products of the catch, different for season and area, have become over time the undisputed protagonists of the gastronomic stories of the two seas. The itinerary starts from the northernmost town of these lands, Avola, where the local seafaring draws different products according to the seasons and the techniques. During the spring, especially in March, the stalls of the fishmongers fill with cuttlefish, one of the most delicious molluscs: appreciated for its white and hard-boiled meat, while with its bag of "ink" thick tomato sauces for pasta dishes are flavored excellent. The cuttlefish just caught is excellent cooked roasted or on the grill, accompanied by a precious extra virgin olive oil, fresh parsley and a dash of red pepper. In Noto, we recommend tasting a soup with the catch of the day: scorpion fish, chickpeas, calamari, sea cicadas and some mussels, flavored with an excellent tomato sauce and croutons. This is the historical dish of the fishermen who, at the end of the day, brought home the poorest fish, or the one left unsold. They were the mastery and the art in the kitchen of the women of the house to make this meeting of fish species the best dish that could be cooked. In Pachino, home of the oldest tuna fishery in South-Eastern Sicily, that of Marzamemi, we dedicate a dish based on Tuna. The best time to taste Mediterranean Bluefin Tuna is spring, when large groups of tunnids come into the sea from the Atlantic to reproduce. Their meat is still fat and succulent. The taste of Tuna is enhanced with a light cooking in the plate, perhaps accompanied by onion and sweet and sour peppers. For lovers of raw fish we suggest to reach Portopalo di Capo Passero, where together with the red cherry can not miss the Mediterranean Gambero Rosa. A crustacean with a very delicate taste: excellent raw or just marinated in olive oil and a light lemon juice. Best time for fishing: winter and spring. To the innermost town of the area, Ispica, we match the king of the cephalopods: the Octopus. Throughout the Mediterranean the octopus is caught mainly in the shallow waters, which it prefers. We present it in a warm salad with freshly boiled potatoes, seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and a handful of fresh parsley. The very low caloric intake of the octopus and its refined taste make it ideal for a dish to be offered at any time of the year. The last dish we find in Pozzallo, especially in the Christmas period. In this delightful seaside village you can fill up a "breaded" (a stuffed bread dough pie) with a truly unique fish: ilPalombo. Similar to sharks by shape and gender, it is not a dangerous fish for humans. Its skinny meats without cholesterol and the absence of spines make it easy to eat and ideal especially for children. The breadcrumbs can also be enriched with capers and potatoes, or with a few tablespoons of tomato sauce.

Source GAC dei due mari