Golden Palate® Ortygia, owned by Chef Gaetano Cannata from Sicily offers cooking classes to the delight of loyal patrons! Below, please enjoy a classic Sicilian recipe, and personal favorite, Pasta alla Norma– with eggplant, a favorite among Sicilians! Read a bit about the origin of the dish, and about the origins of modern-day Sicilian cuisine. Open a bottle of Nero d’Avola from Sicily, start sautéing the eggplant, boil some water, throw in the pasta, and Buon’ Appetito!
Pasta with Tomato, Eggplant and Ricotta Salata (Pasta alla Norma)
Recipe courtesy of Chef Gaetano Cannata and Ortygia Restaurant.
Serves 4-6
2 medium eggplants, cut into thin strips, or slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Course grained salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled imported San Marzano tomatoes, entire can including the puree and crush by hand
A bunch (dozen leaves) fresh basil leaves, torn by hand
1 lb. bucatini or ziti, if preferred
Ricotta salata cheese
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put eggplant into a bowl and drizzle with half the oil. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Transfer eggplant to baking sheet and bake, turning occasionally, until soft, about 15 or 20 minutes. Set aside. Alternatively, sauté the eggplant in vegetable oil on medium heat until soft.
Heat remaining oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook just until it turns color slightly, about one minute. Do not brown! Add tomatoes and half the basil, season with salt, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just al dente, according to the directions on the box. Drain pasta and transfer to tomato sauce. Stir in reserved eggplant and toss to combine. Stir in remaining basil and season with salt. To serve, transfer pasta to a platter and grate with ricotta salata.
When in Bradenton, Ortygia is a must! Please be sure to tell Chef Gaetano that Fred Bollaci sent you!
The Flag of Sicily is represented by the “Trinacria” or three-legged fertility goddess. Sicilians hang ceramic or wooden “Trinacrie” in their homes, to “ward off the evil eye” or malocchio.
Tonno in Agrodolce with Braised Fennel and Garlic Peperonata
Tuna Ingredients:
2 6 ounce pieces of tuna about 1 1/2 inches thick
2 tablespoons of whole fennel seed
1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt
Fresh cracked pepper
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 of one small lemon
1/8 cup of dry Sicilian Marsala (not Californian)
Peperonata Ingredients:
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced in thin rounds
1 sweet red bell pepper, sliced in thin strips
2 tablespoons of red wine
1 generous teaspoon of sugar
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
6 black olives, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons of capers
1 tablespoon of dried red currants
1 tablespoon of golden raisins
Braised Fennel Ingredients:
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 large fennel bulb halved; remove stem, root end and tough outer layer
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/4 cup of dry, white wine
Salt and pepper
Peperonata Preparation:
Add olive oil to a pan turn heat to high. When the oil starts to smoke, add the onions and reduce heat to medium. Cook for five minutes. Add the peppers and cook for five more minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook over low heat, covered, for 20 minutes.
Braised Fennel Preparation:
Add fennel to small saute pan, cut side down, with olive oil, garlic cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Put on medium heat and cook until cut side of fennel turns golden, about ten minutes. Turn fennel over. Cook for five minutes, then add white wine. Cook for five more minutes. Turn fennel back over, cut side down. Turn down heat as low as possible, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add extra wine a bit at a time if the pan gets dry.
Tuna Preparation:
After the peperonata and braised fennel are on the stove and simmering, melt butter with olive oil in pan over medium heat. Mix the fennel, salt and pepper in a bowl. Dip tuna in fennel mixture on both sides to coat. When butter sizzles add tuna to pan. Cook for two minutes. Turn over the tuna pieces, raise to high heat and add the Marsala. Lower heat to medium and squeeze in lemon juice. Cook for two minutes. Remove from heat and place tuna on a plate with the juices. To server, cover with the peperonata, add braised fennel to plate with cut side facing up with the pan reduction and garlic.
