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A Weekend in Sicily

October 16, 2007 by Nicole 26 Comments

I’ve lived in Sicily for just over four years now and we’ll be leaving the island for good in less than a month. I’m sure I’ll write more about my feelings on that later on. Right now I’m just trying not to think too much about it. So rather than write about what it feels like to be leaving, I thought I would just share some photos that I took over the weekend, just to give you a sense of what life is like here.

We didn’t do much last weekend. Not really. But when I look back at the photos, I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have spent this time here. It still feels like a dream.

I live in Sicily.

Courtyard in San Pietro Clarenza

On Saturday morning we decided to drive up to the small town at the base of Mount Etna where we used to live, San Pietro Clarenza. It’s about 25 minutes from where we live now and there is a shop in the town center that sells some of the best pastries around.

Raviola

A raviola is a Sicilian pastry that is filled with sweetened ricotta. It is made from yeasted dough and deep-fried so it is similar to an American filled donut (but soooo much better). There is another version, raviola al forno, that is baked. The baked ones are made with a different type of dough…something butter-rich and flaky. They are also wonderful, but messier to eat. I prefer the raviola fritta (fried) when they are available.

But regardless of whether the outside is fried or baked, it is the sweet ricotta on the inside that makes this treat special. The sheep’s milk ricotta here is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. I will miss it as much as I will miss gelato, granita, and pizza.

Cappuccino and Pastry

The pastry Justin ordered (because they only had one raviola left) was similar to mine but filled with pastry cream instead. As you can see, it was also topped with more cream and a strawberry. And it was good!

Justin’s Pastry

Although the pastry and cappuccino were great, my favorite part of the morning was the drive. You never know what you’ll run across when driving through the small towns here. Sometimes you run into a herd of sheep or cows, sometimes you run into a huge group of cyclists and feel for a second like you’ve just run into the tour de France, and sometimes you get stuck driving 5 mph behind a horse and cart.

Horse and Cart

We didn’t actually get stuck behind this guy. We sped around him and stopped up the road so I could hop out and take some photos. I see horses and carts all the time here but this one was fun because the horse was all dressed up. Usually the horses only put on their fancy costumes during festivals.

Fancy Horse

So that was one little part of our day. I think I will break this into two posts but here’s a little hint of how the day ended…

Riding in the Rain

More later!

Filed Under: Sicily, Will Travel for Food

Previous Post: « Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
Next Post: A Weekend in Sicily, Continued »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sheri says

    January 3, 2008 at 2:20 pm

    Welcome back to the States! I, too, lived in Italy (Siena) years ago and returned home kicking and screaming. Your photos are as beautiful as your recipes! I love your citrus salads and your step-by-step pics of sectioning them. I so wish blood oranges were easier to find in the US- they are so gorgeous. Great job on that photo!!
    Reply
  2. Stacey says

    January 13, 2008 at 5:45 pm

    Oh my God! I lived in San Pietro Clarenza too. I lived there for little over a year back in 2004 - 2005. On via Umberto on the far side of town. I used to go to Bar Somma all the time. Best food and coffee ever. I had a hard time living there but now I look back and kinda miss it. Small world. And I was just looking up raviola recipes.
    Reply
  3. Debra Massey says

    April 9, 2009 at 1:43 pm

    I lived in Belpasso which is close to San Pietro Clarenza and I had several good friends there... I think one name was Gaetano Squillaci... seems like he had a couple of daugthers..he took us all to see his gardens. DO you know him?
    Reply
  4. Stacey says

    April 9, 2009 at 2:35 pm

    No, I didn't know them but my landlords were the Licandros. They were the sweetest people. They always had us over for dinner and gave us their leftovers from their garden. I miss them.
    Reply
  5. Lindsey says

    February 27, 2010 at 5:10 am

    My husband just got stationed in Sicily so we'll be moving there soon! Your pictures made me even more excited and more curious, thanks!
    Reply
  6. Nichole mitchell says

    November 10, 2010 at 12:12 pm

    I knew Gaetano Squillaci! He was my landlord in San pietro!!
    Reply
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