There is all the sun, the heat, the light of Sicily in the kitchen of June 13th; there is the scent of the sea, of the Mediterranean scrub, of the orange groves in bloom, of the oregano, of the cinnamon, of the olives, of the capers, of the sesame. A cuisine that harks back to an ancient and noble tradition, but which renews it, lightens it, reinterprets it for modern taste, in which flavors and natural products triumph; here Saverio Dolcimascolo tries new combinations and ideas, takes from tradition while looking to the future. And so we have linguine with sea urchins, or pasta with sardines, but also raw fish or tuna tartare, caponata and scampi carpaccio, swordfish and very fresh oysters. Special attention goes to the pastry shop, dominated by the large, incomparable cassata, accompanied by inimitable cannoli and fresh granitas. It has origins on the market stalls of I will dance of Palermo on 13 June of Milan. Here Antonio DolcimascoloSaverio’s father, had a fruit and vegetable stand and the young Saverio learned, as a child, to “feel” and taste the aromas and scents of Sicily. After a training experience at Charleston of PalermoSaverio came to Milan at the end of the 70s and, guided by his brother Tanino, gained experience in the most important Milanese restaurants, until he became director of the Binari. From ’88 the leap in quality with the purchase of Via Goldoni from the famous singer on 13 June Gino Santercole.
But why June 13th? Because everything in Saverio’s life happened on June 13th. Last of 13 children of father Antonio, born on 13 June, Saverio wanted to dedicate the name of this restaurant to him which for decades has offered the best Sicilian cuisine in Milan.
The sweet and sour ritual: the real aubergine caponata
Ingredients:
Black oval aubergine 1 kg
Celery 500 g
1 whole golden onion
Pitted olives 150 g
Capers 80 g
Peeled tomato 500 g
Sugar 20 g
White wine vinegar 50 ml
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Salt to taste
Basil a few leaves
Procedure for aubergines
Cut the aubergines into cubes, place them in salt for half an hour in a colander under a light weight to eliminate the liquid and make them less bitter.
After washing them, dry them with a cotton napkin, fry in vegetable oil until they become golden. Arrange the diced aubergines on a baking tray lined with absorbent paper, sprinkle with a little salt with a large hand and leave them to cool separately.
For the sauce
Finely chop an onion and celery and fry them in extra virgin olive oil until the onion begins to brown. Then add the peeled tomatoes, mash them with a fork or with your hands and leave to cook for about ten minutes, or until the excess water has evaporated. Add 50 g of tomato extract, which is crucial for the good result of the dish.
As soon as the tomato has shrunk you can continue with the rest of the ingredients: add the previously fried aubergines, the washed and desalted capers and the salt. Mix well to combine, but not too much so as not to cause the aubergines to fall apart.
At this point you can add other typical caponata ingredients, such as pitted green olives. Add salt again if necessary and leave to cook over low heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until all the flavors are well blended.
After allowing the caponata to cool to room temperature, sprinkle it with white wine vinegar (approximately 50 ml), and sugar to counteract the acidity of the vinegar, indispensable ingredients.
Eggplant caponata: The original Sicilian recipe, quick and easy, is ready!
Before serving, however, let it rest in a baking dish for about ten minutes, so that all the individual flavors blend perfectly, creating a unique harmony of taste.
This traditional Sicilian recipe is a riot of flavors and textures, a real culinary journey to the island of the sun. Perfect as an appetizer, side dish or main course, aubergine caponata is a must in Sicilian cuisine that will conquer all palates.
The caponata is even better if prepared the day before and left to rest in the refrigerator overnight, so that the flavors blend further.
Tips: Decorate with celery leaves and crumbled boiled egg yolk on top
The scents of the sea: Palermo-style swordfish rolls
Palermo-Style Swordfish Rolls
Ingredients :
600 g swordfish (very thinly sliced)
200 g stale bread
100 g breadcrumbs
2 Anchovies in oil
30 g Passolina raisins not to be confused with sultanas
30 g pine nuts
1 clove Garlic
30 g Caciocavallo
Parsley
Salt
Black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Laurel Leaf
Red onion leaf
Soak the raisins in cold water for at least 10 minutes.
Coarsely grate the stale bread.
Crush a clove of garlic without peeling it with the side of the blade of a knife (poached garlic) and fry it in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil together with the anchovies, which should melt.
Lower the heat, add the raisins, pine nuts, breadcrumbs and grated stale bread and cook for a couple of minutes, then turn off the heat.
Transfer the breadcrumbs into a bowl and complete with a handful of chopped parsley and the caciocavallo cheese cut into very small cubes.
Spread the swordfish slices on a cutting board, remove the central bone and skin, season them with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of oil and massage them.
Place a thin layer of the seasoned mixture over the entire surface of the swordfish slices, then roll them up and cut them in half.
Pass the rolls thus created in natural breadcrumbs also on the outside and gradually thread them onto the skewers: 3 pieces alternating with bay leaf and red onion leaf. Wooden skewers can be used
Now you are ready for cooking: cook the skewers in a non-stick pan for a few minutes on each side, until they are lightly golden, then place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper, season them with a drizzle of oil and cook in a preheated oven at 200° in ventilated mode, placing them in the upper part of the oven for 8-10 minutes and turning them halfway through cooking.
Enjoy your meal, the Palermo-style swordfish skewers are ready to be enjoyed
