Arriving for breakfast on our last morning at the Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea after a wonderful nights sleep, we were seated at a lovely bright table overlooking the water. With an incredible buffet of delicious Sicilian fruits, fresh baked pastries, breads, cheeses and homemade jams and preserves to choose from, there was also an a la carte menu with a selection of delicious egg dishes. Served in a gorgeous collection of Sicilian ceramic bowls, plates and cake stands, the Belmond breakfast buffet was a sight to behold. With plans to visit Piazza Armerina, site of the famous Villa Romana del Casale known for its glorious mosaics and considered to be the most beautiful and best-preserved in the world, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast, then bid a fond farewell to Taormina and the wonderful staff at Sicily's legendary Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea.
Ristorante Oliviero bathed in the morning sun
Served in gorgeous Sicilian ceramic bowls, plates and cake stands, the buffet was a sight to behold
Delicious housemade cheeses
For a healthy start to the morning there were nuts, dried fruit, yogurt and preserves
Lovely selection of cakes, tarts and breads
Crostata di cioccolato
Crostata di albicocche
Local tomatoes, bufala mozzarella, homemade ricotta and selection of house cured prosciuttos
Scrambled eggs with grilled mushroom, tomato and fresh basil
A traditional 'Full English' with fried eggs, sausage, bacon, grilled mushroom and tomato
Polpo alla griglia con vellutata di peperoni
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of chef Agostina D'Angelo
3 1/2 lb octopus
3 oz yellow peppers
3 oz red peppers
3/4 lb new potatoes
1 1/2 oz butter
3 garlic bulbs
Fresh parsley
3/4 oz sugar
4 tsp white wine vinegar
1 1/2 oz onion
Olive oil, to taste
Salt, to taste
OCTOPUS: Place the fresh octopus in a sieve and cook it in water and salt for 18 minutes, then leave to rest in the water with the heat off for about 30 minutes then take it out. Once cooked, remove the head and cut the tentacles in half, opening them up. Then put the tentacles on the grill for a few minutes. Finish in a pan with butter, garlic and parsley.
PEPPER CREAM: Braise the chopped peppers with onion and garlic and add white wine vinegar, sugar, butter and salt. Once cooked and dried, blend them until you get a velvety-looking cream.
PREPARATION OF THE DISH. Put the pepper cream on the bottom of a plate and place the octopus tentacles on top, accompanying everything with some previously grilled boiled potatoes. Finish with a little olive oil.
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