Sicilian snake seeds please

[Earthbabe]

I will probably try them from that sort of time here. I may even send some to my sister in Jersey. No point giving any to my folks as they are also in Jersey for the summer rather than Spain.

[bramble]

Well Don Vincenzo, you have just shattered my illusions. What with that kind of foreign name and the exotic Sicilian snake seed pic you posted i imagined you living somewhere like Spain or some other hot country.
Just goes to show the image a name can conjure up. :confused

[Don Vincenzo]

Hello Bramble
sorry to have shattered your illusions but if it helps I am a Sicilian and the seeds come from there. It shows that many vegs can also be grown quite succefully in the UK.
My best regards
Don Vincenzo

[bramble]

Well don, i don't feel quite so bad now. I can hold on to some of my alusions.
i also visualise you as medium height, grey haired, a bit on the plump side with a tan complexion.
What an overactive imagination i have.

[smallblueplanet]

Well don, i don't feel quite so bad now. I can hold on to some of my alusions.
i also visualise you as medium height, grey haired, a bit on the plump side with a tan complexion.
What an overactive imagination i have.

....and mumble a lot?




(Like Brando in the Godfather - but I've never seen the film, so I don't know what else he says! )

[Don Vincenzo]

....and mumble a lot?




(Like Brando in the Godfather - but I've never seen the film, so I don't know what else he says! )

Well don, i don't feel quite so bad now. I can hold on to some of my alusions.
i also visualise you as medium height, grey haired, a bit on the plump side with a tan complexion.
What an overactive imagination i have.

Hi Bramble and Smallblueplanet.. ok!! this is me or as I see myself
6 foot tall, white/silver/grey/black hair all of them still there, no plump side, tan complexion starts as early march ( when I start to do some work in my allotment ) I do not mumble at all (SBPlanet) (Brando the Godfather had no choice as he hadn't a clue of what means to be a Godfather or of the mafia) In Sicily talking used to be left to women, men didn't talk they whispered!! I do hope this small whisper gives a picture of me. What about you?
my best regards
Don Vincenzo

[smallblueplanet]

Hmmm, well Don V you must return to Sicily to get a good tan in March? lol!

As for me now, 5' 6" (I should be shorter?) too much grey and a bit plumper than I used to be, look terrible in black, but I could certainly do all the talking!

[wellie]

Don V,
I hope you don't mind, but Piglet passed a few seeds onto me of yours, and I'm hoping to do justice to them. I shall probably start the seed off this weekend in a heated propagator, and then grow them on at about 10c once germinated, potting them on into bigger pots as necessary until their final outside position late May/early June. From the wonderful photos you have posted, I'm looking to use them in their 'infancy' for maximum flavour.
Any additional tips from you would be most gratefully received.
Thank you so much.
Oh, and very very important, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you please post to me the truly authentic Parmigiana recipe of Sicily. I make 'my take on it' and have never truly been able to capture the 'true' sicilian beauty of the dish yet, however hard I try (!)

[bramble]

Me, 5ft 2in. Also a bit plumper than i used to be. Could talk for Ireland when i have a mind to. Brownish blonde hair with a lot of help from a bottle. Brown eyes and a nice smile even if i do say so myself.

[Don Vincenzo]

Don V,
I hope you don't mind, but Piglet passed a few seeds onto me of yours, and I'm hoping to do justice to them. I shall probably start the seed off this weekend in a heated propagator, and then grow them on at about 10c once germinated, potting them on into bigger pots as necessary until their final outside position late May/early June. From the wonderful photos you have posted, I'm looking to use them in their 'infancy' for maximum flavour.
Any additional tips from you would be most gratefully received.
Thank you so much.
Oh, and very very important, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you please post to me the truly authentic Parmigiana recipe of Sicily. I make 'my take on it' and have never truly been able to capture the 'true' sicilian beauty of the dish yet, however hard I try (!)

Hi Wellie
I will keep informed the forum with the my cucuzze progress. Remember that hand pollination is a must. Regarding parmigiana recipe of Sicily I will ring my connections over there this weekend and will let you know. Parmigiana means using parmisan cheese and needs to be Parmigiano Regiano and fresh. Usually springled over a basic tomato sauce, it goes well with aubergine and various dishes....however I will ask for advice to my connections in Sicily
Regards
Don Vincenzo

[smallblueplanet]

....Could talk for Ireland when i have a mind to....

Then you'll have kissed the Blarney Stone then Bramble?

[wellie]

Don V,
Really appreciate that. Do use PRegiano of the very best quality, and I really look forward to receiving a 'proper job' Sicilian recipe! Never quite got over the Parmigiana that I had virtually every day for lunch by the pool with fresh lemons growing around us in a family run place in Taormina (wrong spelling, sincere apologies...) I just wish I could remember the name of the family-run hotel, it was SO gorgeous, I would love to take my equally gorgeous man 'Trousers' there one day for a well-earned holiday....
You are very kind to take the trouble for me, thank you, it's much appreciated.

[Don Vincenzo]

Don V,
Really appreciate that. Do use PRegiano of the very best quality, and I really look forward to receiving a 'proper job' Sicilian recipe! Never quite got over the Parmigiana that I had virtually every day for lunch by the pool with fresh lemons growing around us in a family run place in Taormina (wrong spelling, sincere apologies...) I just wish I could remember the name of the family-run hotel, it was SO gorgeous, I would love to take my equally gorgeous man 'Trousers' there one day for a well-earned holiday....
You are very kind to take the trouble for me, thank you, it's much appreciated.

Hi Wellie
Okay!!! here we go. I rang my connections regarding the recipe. One thing that you dind't mention was what actually was the dish you so much enjoyed. However as I mentioned before, parmigiana siciliana implies parmisan cheese and aubergines. I presume that the dish was pasta. My sister tells me that it is a basic tomato sauce ( fresh tomatoes ) with garlic or onions according to taste finished with strips of shallow fried oblong aubergines and not the round ones as the latter absorbes too much oil and the lot finished with fresh basil ( it has to be fresh ) and fresh parmisan cheese......while on the phone I could hear someone saying that with pecorino cheese it would taste better than parmisan cheese. Personally I would add some finely chopped black olives and some anchovies to it. I would use this sauce with penne, rigatoni, maybe pappardelle but not spaghetti or linguine. There are some basic rules in cooking expecially in sauces, pastry and preserving but really what is all about is to make the most of whatever is around you and in season according to your taste. Please let me know if your remember the name of the hotel in Taormina and a brief description of whatever you ate....I will find it out!!!!
Don Vincenzo

[wellie]

Hi Don V,
I'm sorry, I'm probably confusing you by calling the actual dish 'Parmigiana', and, now that you come to mention it, Parmigiana Siciliana rings a huge bell in my subconscious ! that's what the dish was called on the menu at the pool bar at this superb family run hotel that I can't remember the name of in Taormina!

The dish was a 'layered' combination, a bit similar to a Ratatouille, but not at all 'sloppy'. The layers consisted of chargrilled Aubergines, Peppers, Tomatoes, grated Parmigiana cheese, and the like..... and was served as a square portion, just accompanied by a mixed baby leaf salad with a beautiful Balsamic-type dressing.

Recently, I attempted 'yet another' recipe for this 'Parmigiana' dish, which included Mozzarella cheese in the layers, and I found that this made the dish kind of 'chewy/rubbery', which was wrong....

Oh how I wish I could remember the name of the hotel.... we just 'arrived' in Taormina, stayed one night in a hotel that had room for us, then walked around next day and found this very brilliant family-run one. I think I just may have to return to Sicily and do that very thing again. Walk round till I find it!!! I know that when I return one day, I shall be able to retrace my steps from The Square, snaking down the hill, past all the lovely cafes and restaurants until the land flattens out a little, and it's there somewhere!


I like the recipe you have suggested, by the way. I'm not an olive fan, sadly, as I'd love to be! and I'd use fresh anchovies, which incidentally, if you've never tried, do! they aren't as salty and I prefer the texture (less widely available than the normal ones).

Do any of your 'connections' own a private jet to fly us there and would be willing to put us up for the weekend, feed us gorgeously and ply us with beautiful sicilian wines? That way, I could find the hotel, get the recipe, pick and few lemons, have a swim, and be back for work Monday morning?!

You are so kind, we'll get there, I promise!

[Don Vincenzo]

Hi Don V,
I'm sorry, I'm probably confusing you by calling the actual dish 'Parmigiana', and, now that you come to mention it, Parmigiana Siciliana rings a huge bell in my subconscious ! that's what the dish was called on the menu at the pool bar at this superb family run hotel that I can't remember the name of in Taormina!

The dish was a 'layered' combination, a bit similar to a Ratatouille, but not at all 'sloppy'. The layers consisted of chargrilled Aubergines, Peppers, Tomatoes, grated Parmigiana cheese, and the like..... and was served as a square portion, just accompanied by a mixed baby leaf salad with a beautiful Balsamic-type dressing.

Recently, I attempted 'yet another' recipe for this 'Parmigiana' dish, which included Mozzarella cheese in the layers, and I found that this made the dish kind of 'chewy/rubbery', which was wrong....

Oh how I wish I could remember the name of the hotel.... we just 'arrived' in Taormina, stayed one night in a hotel that had room for us, then walked around next day and found this very brilliant family-run one. I think I just may have to return to Sicily and do that very thing again. Walk round till I find it!!! I know that when I return one day, I shall be able to retrace my steps from The Square, snaking down the hill, past all the lovely cafes and restaurants until the land flattens out a little, and it's there somewhere!


I like the recipe you have suggested, by the way. I'm not an olive fan, sadly, as I'd love to be! and I'd use fresh anchovies, which incidentally, if you've never tried, do! they aren't as salty and I prefer the texture (less widely available than the normal ones).

Do any of your 'connections' own a private jet to fly us there and would be willing to put us up for the weekend, feed us gorgeously and ply us with beautiful sicilian wines? That way, I could find the hotel, get the recipe, pick and few lemons, have a swim, and be back for work Monday morning?!

You are so kind, we'll get there, I promise!

Hi Wellie
from what I gather it is a dish evolved and aimed at the tourists and vegetarians and called siciliana or mediterranea because of the vegetables used ( Aubergines, peppers, tomatoes ) I presume that thick onions rings were used as well. These vegetables would be roasted or chargrilled before arranging them in layers and in individual dishes. Oven finished to order adding parmisan cheese, maybe with a touch of thick tomato sauce and a splash of bechamelle we could call it lasagna Mediterranea ( V ). One other point we need to remember is that everthing looks and taste better when someone is on holiday and / or someone is cooking for you. The vegetables used for this particular dish would have been grown locally, totally fresh, sun blessed and indeed their taste would have been superior of what we find in our local supermarket. Sadly I haven't a private jet to take you to Taormina for the weekend to get this recipe but why do you want to rash to be back for work Monday morning?
My best regards
Don Vincenzo