Cioccolato di Modica and Antica Dolceria Bonajuto

Cioccolato di Modica has Italian Prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale registration, (similar to EU Traditional specialties guaranteed, TSG) which recognizes it as typical of the municipality of Modica in Sicily.  An ancient and original recipe gives the chocolate a peculiar grainy texture and aromatic flavor similar to chocolate in México.  Inspired by the original Aztec recipe for Xocoatl, and introduced to Modica by the Spaniards.  The story of Sicilian chocolate winds down a path going back through history, uniting Sicily with Spain, particularly Modica.  Spain brought chocolate to Europe from the civilization of the Aztecs, ancient inhabitants of Mexico.  When the Spanish discovered the Americas, they found an extraordinary variety of foods.  The Aztecs made Xocoàtl from cocoa seeds, and held it in high regard because it conferred strength and vigor and was a sign of wealth. The Aztecs ground the cocoa seeds using a stone mill called a metate consisting of a a curved stone placed on two transversal base stones with a rolling pin also made of stone.  The cocoa flour produced was then mixed with spices and hot water and used as a drink.  If you're interested in Mexican chocolate in all its forms visit my blog about Oaxaca, México. 

In contrast to later versions throughout Europe, Antica Dolceria Bonajuto makes chocolate with the same ancient technique and ingredients.  They begin with a mass of ground cocoa that still contains its cocoa butter.  The mass is heated to make it fluid, and at a precise temperature, it is mixed with castor sugar and spices (cinnamon or vanilla).  The mixing is done with a "refiner", a modern-day replacement of the metate.  The mixture is kept at a low temperature that prevents the sugar crystals from melting (they remain an integral part of the chocolate bar).  Not really too hard to do since chocolate melts at approximately body temperature (30º to 32º C) and sugar at somewhat above 100º C.  The final phase consists of spreading the mixture into forms.  This "cold working" of the chocolate excludes the phase of conching, which keeps flavors alive that would otherwise disappear.  The simplicity of the technique and the fact that there is no addition of butter or other extraneous substances (vegetable fats, milk derivatives or lecithin) keeps the full flavor of the chocolate.

In 1880, Francesco Bonajuto, following in his father Frederico's footsteps, opened a small cake shop in Modica.  From this shop, he made exquisite cakes from centuries-long traditions of Arabian and Spanish origin.  Today the shop that bears his name produces Cioccolato di Modica, Sicilian biscotti, and Aranciata e cedrata.  You may visit the shop online at bonajuto.it/en/

Arancini

Arancini probably originated in 10th-century Sicily when the island was under Arab rule.  In Palermo and Trapani, arancini are a traditional food for the feast of Santa Lucia on December 13th when Sicilians don't eat bread or pasta. This commemorates arrival of a grain ship on Santa Lucia's day in 1646, relieving a severe famine.  Today arancini are found year round at Sicilian cafés and special arancini shops, particularly in Palermo.  The most common arancini are con ragù with a filling of ragù, a piece of boiled egg, and a few cubes of ragusano. The dish is often made using rice from leftover risotto.  The rice originated as short grain rice imported from Japan and is known as riso originario of which arborio is a superfino hybrid.

So let's make 4 arancini.  Starting with the rice, for 400g of rice you will need 50g butter, 4g saffron, 1 small onion minced, and 1/2  cup grated caciocavallo or parmesan cheese.  Cook as for a risotto, I really don't need to tell you how to do this, and spread the rice out on a sheet pan to cool.  

Now for the ragù, for 100 g each of ground beef and pork, you will need a small onion, 1 carrot, 1 rib of celery, 3 Tbs. olive oil, 1/2 cup of red wine, 100 g peas, 100 g tomato sauce, and 1 Tbs. tomato paste. Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery.  Sauté the onion in the oil for a couple of minutes just to soften the onions.  Add the meats and continue to sauté until the meat changes color.  Add the tomato paste and briefly sauté.  Add the wine and cook until the alcohol has evaporated.  Add the tomato sauce and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on a moderate fire for 10 minutes then add the peas and cook for another 20 minutes.  If you're using frozen peas add them 5 minutes from the end of cooking.  Let the ragù cool. 

Now it's time to assemble the arancini.  You will need 100 g fresh ragusano or provolone cut into 1 cm cubes and 1 hard-boiled egg cut into 4 pieces. We also need some pastella made from 2 T water mixed with 1 T flour and fine dry breadcrumbs.  Take 1/4 of the rice in your hand and form it into a shallow cup.  

Add a spoon of the sauce, a piece of egg, and 2 or 3 cubes of cheese.  Be careful to not over fill it.  Now close it up with both hands forming a ball.  Coat the ball with the pastella.  This helps the breadcrumbs stick.  Now liberally coat the arancini in breadcrumbs.  Fry them a few at a time in hot (375º F) oil until they turn a rich golden brown.  There must be enough oil so that they are completely covered.  Set them in a warm oven for about 10 minutes to dry before serving.  Mangia bene!

Erice and Maria Grammatico

The view from Erice isn't so good today.

Perched on a mountain 750 meters above the port city of Trapani, Erice is reachable by road with lots of switchbacks and treacherous drop-offs or by cable car.  There are two major reasons for visiting, the views and Maria Grammatico's pastries.  When the clouds cover the mountain thank god for Maria Grammatico and vino liquoroso Sicilia.

Frutta di Martorana or marzipan fruit, tomatoes and oranges.

Sicily’s rich tradition of ‘dolci’ has been shaped by diverse cultural influences throughout history, from the almonds and oranges introduced by the Arabs to the cocoa beans introduced by the Spanish to the pastry making nuns. Each culture left behind its own gastronomic influence, resulting in a love affair with all things sweet.

Maria Grammatico crushing almonds for 'Seni di Vergine'.

She's instructing the group on shaping the 'Seni di Vergine'

'Seni di Vergine' ready for the oven    

'Seni di Vergine' hot form the oven 

Maria lost her father when still a little girl. Her mother was alone with five children and waiting for the sixth. Realising that she simply couldn’t afford to feed her children, Maria’s mother placed her in a convent at age 11.  Maria and her companion orphans in the convent would get up at dawn to begin working.  The rest of the time, the orphans read their missals, and went to Mass and confession.  The saving grace of this isolated existence was learning the art of making almond paste, ‘pasta di mandorla’, and marzipan.  

Maria Grammatico filling cannoli 

Young Maria was attentive and watched the nuns as they went about the business of making the much-loved ‘pasticcini’, observing the way they prepared, weighed and mixed the ingredients.  She finally left the convent in 1963.  On June 1, 1964 she set up her own small shop, La Pasticceria di Maria Grammatico.  Maria still uses the traditional methods she learned from the nuns to make her world-famous creations.  She places a strong emphasis on using local, natural ingredients, seeking milk that’s been produced by hand, and always using 100% Sicilian almonds from Avola.  She has become a celebrated pasticceria expert, specialising in ‘torrone’ and ‘pasta di mandorla’.  The bakery on Via Vittorio Emanuele, in the center of Erice, has remained the same. The desserts displayed in the windows carry on the tradition of the nuns of the San Carlo who are gone.  Thankfully that tradition remains in the hands of Maria.

Biscotti al Fico on the left, and Lingue di Suocera on the right    

If you would like to know more of Maria her story is told in a book, Bitter Almonds, coauthored by Mary Taylor Simeti, available in English.

Now on to something to get rid of the chill and damp of this day, Ben Ryé from the island of Pantelleria, made from Zibibbo (Moscato d'Alessandra), the grapes dry naturally in the sun and the wind for 20-30 days to yield a naturally sweet wine or Morsi di Luce made from Zibibbo grapes cultivated on the island of Pantelleria producing a must with a high sugar content to which, after partial fermentation, wine distillate is added.  That Creme di Patacchi looks interesting as well.  Decisions, decisions, decisions...