Spending our first day exploring East and West Palermo, we started at one of the jewels of Palermo, Chiesa Capitolare di San Cataldo and Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio but better known simply as La Martorana. Glittering 12th-century Norman-Byzantine mosaics cover the interior, including on and around the columns that hold up the principal cupola. The mosaics were overseen by George of Antioch himself, who was of Greek descent and loved the Byzantine mosaics of his homeland. Scholars think the craftsmen who designed these mosaics also did the mosaic work in the Cappella Palatina. Even after 850 years, the colours remain vibrant: the golden background is pierced with streaks of spring green, ivory, azure blue, and red. High along the western wall is some of the oldest and best-preserved mosaic artwork of the Norman period. Since the 1930s, it has belonged to the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and in 2015, it received status as a World Heritage site. The church fascinated even non-Christians. The 12th-century Arab explorer Ibn Jubayr — who traveled to such magnificent medieval cities such as Córdoba, Cairo, Baghdad, and Mecca — counted the Martorana as one of the marvels of the world. He described the church as “one of the most marvelous constructions ever to be seen.”
Adjacent to La Martorana is Chiesa Capitolare di San Cataldo. This 12th-century church in Arab-Norman style is one of Palermo's most striking buildings. With its dusky-pink bijou domes, solid square shape, blind arcading and delicate tracery, it illustrates perfectly the synthesis of Arab and Norman architectural styles. The interior, while more austere, is still beautiful, with its inlaid floor and lovely stone and brick work in the arches and domes. Erected in 1154 as a notable example of the Arab-Norman architecture which flourished in Sicily under Norman rule on the island, another jewel in Palermo's crown must be the spectacular Cathedral of Palermo, one of the most important architectural monuments in Sicily. It was built in 1184 by the Normans as a re-converted Christian church on the site of a Muslim Mosque that was previously built over a Christian basilica. A feast of geometric patterns, ziggurat crenellations, maiolica cupolas and blind arches, Cathedrale di Palermo has suffered aesthetically from multiple reworkings over the centuries, but remains a prime example of Sicily's unique Arab-Norman architectural style.
Palermo's illustrious Teatro Massimo is the largest opera house in Italy
The 16th-century fountain representing mythical gods and the four Palermo rivers, is the centrepiece of Piazza Pretoria
Quattro Canti, officially known as Piazza Vigliena, is an 18th-century Baroque square divided into 4 corners and is the central point of the old town
Quirky 3-wheel Piaggio taxi in Palermo
The graceful Norman bell tower of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio, better known as La Martorana, is original from the 12th-century
Window of the Bellower with Arab-Norman embellishment
Sunday Mass at Chiesa Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio
Ceremonial lighting of the candles
La Martorana is one of the most impressive Byzantine churches in all of Italy
and is covered with absolutely splendid mosaics on the arches, vaults and ceiling
Four draped angels fly round the dome, the centre of which is a full-length figure of Christ seated on a throne, within a circle with the text from St. John VIII
Exquisite mosaics of rich colours with many gilt gold
This luminously beautiful 12th-century church was endowed by King Roger's Syrian emir,
George of Antioch, and was originally planned as a mosque
12th-century Chiesa Capitolare di San Cataldo in Arab-Norman style is one of Palermo's most striking buildings with its dusty pink domes
The interior while more austere, is still beautiful, with lovely stone and brick work and provides a typical example of the Arab-Norman architecture which is unique to Sicily
Original 12th-century column
13th-century Church of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria is a synthesis of Sicilian Baroque, Rococo and Renaissance styles with an amazingly adorned interior
Enormous hanging lantern
Magnificent 17th-century marble high relief of Jonah about to be swallowed by the Whale
Each of the lower columns in the Church are adorned with spectacular high relief images made of marble
The detail is incredible
Typical Palermo cobblestone street with 3-wheel Poggia, Vespa and pedestrians all sharing the road like a choreographed opera
Antica Foccaceria San Francesco has been a classic culinary institution for Sicilian street food in Palermo since 1834
Chalkboard with popular daily specials
Arancine, Panelle e Cazzilli - classic Palermitani 'schiticchi' or snacks
Flea Market in a square near the Palermo waterfront
Head of a Moor from Caltagirone
Fresh fruit juice kiosks are found all around Palermo
The Palermo Marina with handsome yachts and sailboats
Narrow cobblestone street in Palermo
The 12th-century Cathedral of Palermo which was founded in 1185,
combines Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neo-Classical styles with Islamic decorative art
The imposing clock tower
The cathedral's entrance through Gambara's three magnificent arches
The Cathedral was built on the footprints of an earlier Byzantine basilica which in turn was converted to the mosque during Arab domination
A beautiful painted intarsia decoration above the arches depicts the tree of life in a complex Islamic-style geometric composition of 12 roundels that show fruit, humans and all kinds of animals, which dates back to 1296
The Norman interior was replaced by 18th-century Neo-Classical architectural styling
18th Neo-Classical dome is the work of the Italian architect Ferdinando Fuga
Walking through the winding streets of Palermo
A delicious Lemon Granita that was absolute heaven on a very hot day
Corso Vittorio Emanuele is the most ancient street in Palermo with many lovely shops
Beautiful Palermo fashion house
A popular Sicilian pastry called frutta Martorana — traditional marzipan fashioned to uncannily resemble real pieces of fruit
Trattoria Bionda
A small charming family-run Sicilian trattoria near The Grand Hotel Wagner where we were staying in Palermo
Fresh cut baguette and crunchy sesame grissini
The menu specialized in traditional Sicilian cuisine
Enjoying a bottle of Donnafugata 'SurSur' Grillo made from Grillo grapes, an ancient grape variety from Sicily
Insalata di Mare con polpo, calamaro, cozze, vongole e gamberi
Insalata Rais with tuna, onions, arugula and shaved parmigiano
Fettuccine alla Norma
Branzino alla Griglia
Arancina with Meat Sauce
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Antica Foccaceria San Francesco, Palermo
9 oz Arborio rice
9 oz Roma rice
4 1/4 cup water
1 pinch of saffron
6 oz minced veal
3 1/2 oz fresh green peas
6 tbsp tomato puree
6 large eggs
3 1/2 oz chopped Caciocavallo or mozzarella
3 1/2 oz butter
1/2 onion
1 carrot
1 stalk of celery
10 oz flour
10 oz bread crumbs
Red wine
Freshly ground salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
Bring water to a boil, add salt and then add the rice, cover and cook over moderate heat; at the end of the cooking, the rice should have absorbed all the water in the pot. When the rice is still warm, stir it in the butter, saffron, 3 eggs and let it cool.
In a saucepan, sauté the celery, carrot and onion cut very finely. Once the vegetables are golden, add the meat making it slightly brown; simmer with half glass of red wine until reduced, then add salt, pepper and 30 grams of flour, being very careful that it doesn’t make lumps. Add the tomato puree and simmer it for about an hour.
Separately, sear peas for a few minutes in plenty of salted water, drain and put them in a pan with a knob of butter; once the sauce is ready, complete by adding the peas and let cool.
For the preparation of arancine, form many balls with the rice of about 5 cm in diameter; make a hole with your thumb in each, fill with meat sauce and a cube of Caciocavallo cheese or mozzarella, then close it. Dip the arancine in the flour, then in beaten and salted eggs, then in bread crumbs, then fry them a few at a time in hot oil.
Eggplant Caponata
Serves 8-10
Recipe courtesy of Antica Foccaceria San Francesco, Palermo
8 long eggplants
1 1/3 lb peeled tomatoes, sliced
1/2 lb pitted green olives
1 rib of celery
2 onions
1 bunch of basil
5 1/2 oz grams of salted capers
2 tbsp of sugar
1/2 cup of vinegar
7 oz toasted falked almonds
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Cut the eggplants into cubes with the skin, add salt and leave in a colander to remove the bitter aftertaste. After about an hour dry and fry in plenty of extra virgin olive oil. To reduce the rife oil place them on absorbent paper. Blanch the celery in salted water and cut into pieces. In a saucepan, sauté the onion, once browned add the celery and tomato sauce, let it cook for about 10 minutes; add the chopped olives, the desalted capers, salt and pepper and simmer over low heat. Once you have reduced it, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and the vinegar to the sauce and continue with cooking for another 10 minutes. Finally, add the eggplants and cook for a couple of minutes; let cool before serving. If you like, garnish with flaked almonds.
Pasta with Sardines
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Antica Foccaceria San Francesco, Palermo
11 oz bucatini pasta
11 oz fresh sardines, washed and dried
3 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 oz raisins, soaked in warm water for about half an hour
1 oz shelled pine nuts
4 bunches of wild fennel (the most green part)
4 salted anchovies
3 oz finely chopped onion
Pepper to taste
Saffron to taste
Boil the fennel for ten minutes in plenty of salted water, drain and chop, keeping the cooking water to cook the pasta. In a saucepan, blanch the sardines in olive oil for a few minutes, drain and set aside.
In the same pan, fry the finely sliced onions and add the fennel, sardines, pre-soaked raisins, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring to mix the sauce. After about twenty minutes, add the anchovies, and melt in a pan with a tablespoon of hot oil. Let cook for another 15 minutes, stirring constantly, and then combine the saffron dissolved in a tablespoon of the fennel cooking water. In the meantime, cook the pasta in the cooking water of fennel. Drain al dente and add to the sauce. Let it stand for a few minutes before serving.
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