If you want to prepare true Sicilian Cannoli, just follow this recipe! (found on epicrious)

Ingredients

For cannoli shells

* 1 cup all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 lb cold lard
* 2 tablespoons sweet Marsala wine
* 1 large egg, separated
* About 3 cups vegetable oil

For filling

* 1 lb fresh ricotta (2 cups)
* 2 oz soft mild goat cheese
* 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
* 1 tablespoon minced candied orange peel
* 1/2 teaspoon orange-flower water (also called orange-blossom water)
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/3 cup shelled unsalted pistachios (not dyed red), chopped
* 2 oz bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped (1/2 cup)

* Special equipment: a pasta maker; a 4- to 4 1/4-inch round cookie cutter; a deep-fat thermometer; 6 (roughly 5 5/8- by 5/8-inch) metal cannoli tubes; 2 heavy-duty oven mitts; a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch plain tip
* Garnish: confectioners sugar

Preparation

Make dough for shells:
Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add 2 tablespoons lard and blend in with your fingertips until combined. Add wine and yolk and stir until a dough forms.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Form dough into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Make filling while dough stands:
Beat together ricotta, goat cheese, confectioners sugar, orange peel, orange-flower water, and cinnamon in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed 1 minute (do not overbeat). Fold in nuts and chocolate until combined and chill.

Make shells:
Set smooth rollers of pasta maker at widest setting. Unwrap dough and cut in half, then lightly flour 1 piece (keep remaining half covered with plastic wrap). Flatten floured dough into an oval and feed through rollers. Turn dial down 2 notches and feed dough through rollers again. Continue to feed dough through rollers, making space between rollers narrower by 2 notches each time, until narrowest setting is used.

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Transfer rolled dough to a lightly floured surface and cut out 4 or 5 rounds with floured cutter. Transfer rounds to baking sheet and keep covered with more plastic wrap. Roll out remaining dough and cut rounds in same manner. Gather scraps and let stand 10 minutes. Roll out scraps and cut in same manner.

Heat remaining lard with 1 1/4 inches oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until it registers 350°F on thermometer.

Meanwhile, lightly oil cannoli tubes. Lightly beat egg white, then brush bottom edge of 1 dough round with egg white. Wrap dough around a tube, overlapping ends (egg-white edge should go on top), then press edges together to seal. Make 5 more shells in same manner (keep remaining rounds covered with plastic).

Fry dough on tubes 1 at a time, turning with metal tongs, until 1 shade darker, about 45 seconds. Wearing oven mitts, clamp end of hot tubes, 1 at a time, with tongs and, holding tube vertically, allow shell to slide off tube onto paper towels, gently shaking tube and wiggling shell as needed to loosen. (If you allow shell to cool it will stick to tube and shatter when you try to remove it.) Transfer shells to paper towels to drain and cool tubes before reusing. Wrap remaining dough around tubes and fry in same manner.

Spoon filling into pastry bag and pipe some into 1 end of a cannoli shell, filling shell halfway, then pipe into other end. Repeat with remaining shells.

Mount Pellegrino is located in Sicily and faces east on the bay of Palermo.

Monte Pellegrino is the Italian name, it is 1,970 ft high and offers spectacular views of Palermo and surroundings.

Goethe talked about Mount Pellegrino in his book Travels in Italy, describing it as “the most beautiful promontory in the world”.

In this promontory there are two main places of interest: the Grotta dell’Addaura (Addaura caves) and Saint Rosalia Sanctuary.

Addaura Caves are simply unique: there were found the earliest traces of humans. A lot of petroglyphs testify the presence of humans since 7000 BC.

Saint Rosalia Sanctuary is worth to be visited too: it is built in the cave where her remains were discovered in 1624. In fact Saint Rosalia, best known as La Santuzza, is the patron Saint of Palermo and lived as a hermit in that cave on Mount Pellegrino.

Florence is near to the sea but is not on the seaside.
When Florentines have free time and want to eat fish they usually go in Leghorn (Livorno) or Viareggio, that are sea towns not so far from Florence.

Livorno was defined as an “ideal town” during the Italian Renaissance. Today, it reveals its history through the structure of its neighbourhoods, crossed by canals and surrounded by fortified town walls, through the tangle of its streets, which embroider the town’s Venice district, and through the Medici Port characteristically overlooked by towers and fortresses leading to the town centre.

The Museo Mascagnano houses memorabilia, documents and operas by the great composer Pietro Mascagni. Every year some of his operas are traditionally played during the lyric music season, which is organised by the Traditional Theatre of Livorno. Also the “Terrazza Mascagni”, a walkway divided from the sea by a handrail, is named in honor to Pietro Mascagni.

Viareggio is a city located in northern Tuscany, on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the main centre of the northern Tuscan Riviera known as Versilia, and the second largest city within the Province of Lucca.
It is known as a seaside resort as well as being the home of the famous carnival of Viareggio. The oldest building in Viareggio, known as Torre Matilde, dates back to this time and was built by the Lucchesi in 1541 as a defensive fortification to fight the constant manace of corsair incursions.
Viareggio is also an active industrial and manufacturing centre; its shipbuilding industry has long been renowned around the world and its fishing and floricultural industries are still fundamental sectors to the city’s economy.

Anyway, if you are in Florence you got an alternative: instead of traveling ’till the sea you can let the sea come to you…
There’s a restaurant in Florence specialized in fish dishes: Ristorante Lucamare, in the centre of Florence. Moreover, the chef is Sicilian so well knows how to cook fish delicacies!
Have a safe journey!

Italian version

PS: The descriptions of the cities are taken from wikipedia.

Who likes Italian cooking will appreciate this recipe I found on Marco Barisone’s Weblog.

“Eggplant parmesan, “parmigiana di melanzane” in Italian, is a typical dish from southern Italy. The name has nothing to do with the city of Parma, as it is placed in northern Italy, or with the Parmesan cheese, as the original version used to contain the cheaper Pecorino cheese. Probably the name comes from the Sicilian word “parmisana” that is a slat of a Venetian blind, referring to the way eggplant slices are put in the baking dish.

Usually eggplant slices are fried in oil but you can grill them to have a lighter (and faster to cook) dish.

Ingredients

* 2 lbs. (1 Kg) eggplants (about 2 or 3)
* salt
* flour
* olive oil
* 1 small onion, finely sliced
* 2 lbs. (1 Kg) canned peeled tomatoes
* fresh basil, chopped
* 1/2 lb. (250 g) cow’s milk (fior di latte) mozzarella cheese
* Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Wash the eggplants, remove the stems, cut them in slices 1/4 of an inch (1/2 cm) thick, place the slices on a large platter and sprinkle with salt. Place a weight on top of the slices and let stand for at least one hour to make the eggplants tender and remove all bitterness.

Wash the salt off the eggplant slices and dry them. Flour the slices and fry in very hot olive oil. Brown eggplant slices on both sides and set aside to drain on a paper towel.

Brown the onion in olive oil over a low flame. Add the canned peeled tomatoes, mash them with a fork and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. When the sauce is ready adjust with salt and add chopped fresh basil.

Cut the mozzarella cheese into thin slices. Arrange a layer of eggplant slices in a baking dish, spread with some tomato sauce, cover with mozzarella and a thin scattering of Parmesan cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the sauce and a good sprinkling of Parmesan.

Pre-heat the oven to 375º F (190° C) and bake for about 20 minutes.”

That’s all folks!

For a taste of the typical Sicilian specialties after a hard day long tour or just for a relaxing dinner on your sofa, with your friends, call Pizza Club!

Last year I went to Sicily with many friends, so we decided to rent an apartment in Palermo for two weeks: it was amazing! Palermo is such a beautiful city and architecture and buildings recall the Arab culture; it’s a scenery you’ll find only in Southern Italy.

We stayed in a very nice apartment and we went out almost each night for dinner, we had a lot of fun! One of the last days we were so tired that we decided to call a Pizza taxi service, Pizza Club…

Why didn’t we tried it before?! They have a lot of choices for many kinds of Pizza and Sicilian specialties like little rotisserie taste food chests, it’s really amazing!

We ate so much and food was so good!
If only we’ve known it before… we’d have eaten at home more times!

Italian Version

Avoiding the typical Italian clichè of mandolino, pizza and mafia, discover the real Italy can be a surprising experience. Go to Sicily and its capital Palermo is indeed the best way to debunk the myth of a backward-looking region, characterized only by waste of public money and corruption.

The fascinating beach of Mondello, the open air market of Vucciria, the historic theatres of Politeama and Teatro Massimo are only the most foregone places to see.
Palermo hides many and many things to discover and historical wonders to go visiting: there’s only to get carried away form the atmosphere of a 3000 year old city.

History is everywhere: in the little alleys of the centre or in the large main roads like Vittorio Emanuele or Maqueda street, in the baroque cathedrals or in the medieval churches, in the fusion cuisine or in its wonderful beaches, and even in the eyes of the old people.

The best way to see Palermo and feel the history is to make the most of the warm climate and go around on foot in the centre, cause the main monuments can really easily be reached with a nice walk.
Choosing a central accommodation is required, if the place is in a perfect Sicilian baroque style is great.

That’s why I write about Palazzo Amari Bajardi, a bed and breakfast in the very centre of the city, 500 mt away form the Central Station and a stone’s throw from Vucciria market and via Maqueda.
There are two suites, furnished with historical furnishing and equipped with all the comforts: private bathroom decorated with valuable maiolicas, tv, minibar, and every facilities.

Every morning a big continental breakfast with Sicilian specialties is served in the dining room: that’s the right way to start a Palermo city tour!

Italian version

Aeolian Islands (in Italian Isole Eolie) are situated off Sicily. Seven unique islands, each one different from the other.

Lipari is the main island: it is the largest and the most populated. There are a lot of cities in Lipari,  both along the coast and inland.

Salina, so called for the salt works present in the island,  is a quiet place, suitable for who wants to stay at one with nature.

Vulcano is a small island and derives from the fusion of four volcanoes. 120 years passed since the last eruption but even today there are signs of activity, as jets and sulfurous mud, very appreciated for its therapeutic properties.

Panarea has a lot of isles and rocks around. A fascinating landscape for the smallest of the Aeolian islands.

Stromboli is a volcanic island of a dark, formidable beauty. The scarceness of human signs (as streets or buildings) and the presence of the volcano make this place unusual and attractive.

Filicudi counts three villages, with a population of 250 persons in all. Filicudi consists of a group of craters and it’s characterized by sloping cliffs and rocky coasts.

Alicudi has just 140 habitants and is the most isolated island of the Archipelago. It looks like the promised land to who loves quite and wonderful places.

In all the Aeolian Islands the sea ranges from crystal to cobalt blue, is amazingly limpid and has a rich variety of flora and fauna: it is a paradise for divers,snorkelers and bathers. Who loves the sea will stand open mouthed!

If you are thinking about visiting Aeolian Islands rely on EoliEolie, the specialized travel agency that will help you to plan holidays, book accommodations or itineraries and everything else.

Have a safe journey!

Italian version.

I’ve never been to Palermo.
But when I think about Sicily I think about the sea, the scent of summer flowers, the warm sun and the wonderful food that my Sicilian friend Giuseppina use to cook, trying to try out new recipes blending ingredients from different cultures: the Mediterranean cuisine with the Arabian one.
Speaking of which, I found in the net a website of a restaurant in Palermo where I want to eat when I’ll go to Sicily: Il mirto e la rosa is the name of the restaurant, and vegetables and fish are the specialties.
Antonella Sgrillo, a former teacher that have renounced to her teaching career to dedicate herself to the food one, have opened the restaurant in 1987, following her passion for the vegetarian cuisine. In the years, she have experienced many type of cuisine, trying to take the best from every culture. That’s how many dishes are born: spiced cous-cous with season vegetables, basmati rice with curry lobster… and many more!
An unexpected mix of flavours that promise to be very appetizing, especially if I take a look at the desserts.
The restaurant is in the very centre of Palermo, close to many hotels (maybe you can find an accommodation in Sicily right there) and to the most important theatres of the city: Politeama and Massimo.
It could be the right way to discover Sicily in another way.

Italian version.

Lipari is the major of the Aeolian Islands. The islands have all a volcanic origin, feature that characterise all the activities developed.
This group of islands originates 160.000 years ago from a volcanic explosion. After the first period of an intense volcanic activity these places became liveable thanks to a more quiet period.

1000 years ago an eruption generated a new part of the island of Lipari, and the third explosion and the minors that came after created the Giardinia Mountain, the Pelato Mountain and others characteristic places of Lipari.
Nowadays the island residents are living with periodic small eruptions and harmless period of a minor volcanic activity.

The volcanic atmosphere is touchable, and is a typical feature of this region. People who goes there use to remember that experience for all life long, because of the feelings and the strength of the wild atmosphere of the volcano.

Once in your life you’ll have to visit Lipari and the Aeolian Islands and its natural strenght!

If you’d like an advice, a friend of mine went to the Gattopardo Park Hotel, an old 18th century villa, surrounded by white bungalows in the garden of Lipari. It offers spacious heliotherapic terraces and all bedrooms have private facilities.

The hotel is connected by a free 10 minutes minibus service to one of the best beaches in the island, “The White Beaches”.

An unforgettable experience!

Italian version.

Have you really been in Italy?

Italy is a multicolored country, with a various geographic conformation and a lot of different cultures.

If you have never visited Italy, or you haven’t done it well, you have to set it right.
An Italy tour is not enough to know this thousands years old country, but if you well organize it you will have an idea of what Italy means.

The mainland is wonderful, there are a lot of cities that have to be visited, like Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples, but also Italian islands are as beautiful.

Sicily and Sardinia are the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea. They are characterized by a wild nature and by their particular historical affairs.

Think about the famous art, culture and food that only Italy can offer and take a look to this website: gigatour travel agency can make your perfect holiday real.

Italian version.

Booking info.