Simposio’s Ortigia (Sicily) Cookbook: Ortigia’s food, recipes, and stories

Simposio’s Ortigia is an authentic Sicilian cookbook, an ancient terracotta pot filled with Ortigia’s food, recipes, stories, and folklore, plus sweet notes from Noto, Marzamemi, and Pachino (Sicily, Italy). It is a slow travel guide, a cookbook, and a photography book of Ortigia, Sicily.

Through this authentic Sicilian cookbook, you will discover Ortigia’s food, fish markets, history, Greek theaters, duomos, cathedrals, and things to do and see. Ortigia’s island is a magical place to visit – from your couch or after taking a plane – once you’ve dived into the ancient city’s deeply rooted culture.

SIMPOSIO’S ORTIGIA: AN AUTHENTIC SICILIAN COOKBOOK TO DISCOVER ORTIGIA’S FOOD AND TRADITIONS, PLUS NOTO, PACHINO, AND MARZAMEMI

In this slow-travel authentic Sicilian cookbook, you will discover, experience, cook, and enjoy the precious heritage of Ortigia’s island, Noto, Pachino, and Marzamemi. Sicilian cities duchesses of beauty, art, culture, and food. All worth a visit – or two!
Ortigia, Sicily, is the old city of Siracusa. The island of Greek myths, tyrants, lemons, inventors, and a beautiful duomo. An almost pedestrian paradise for lovers of heartbreaking, charming decadence, delicious marine food, and noisy fish markets. Not to mention Ancient Greek plays at sunset.
Noto is known for its Infiorata (flower festival), baroque beauty, fascinating history, and amazing food.
Marzamemi was gifted with splendid beaches, a historic Tonnara, fish restaurants, and nightlife.
Pachino is the land of tomatoes, wine, and its Inverdurata (vegetable festival).
A few miles separate these pearls of the South East of Sicily. Rent a car, and in two to four days, you’ll see them all. But you’ll want more. And you’ll beg to stay. And promise yourself to be back one day…

INSIDE SIMPOSIO’S COOKBOOK: ORTIGIA’S FOOD AND SO MUCH MORE

Simposio’s Ortigia will not only give you a guide to mindful traveling and Ortigia’s food and recipes, but will let you in its culture, history, and traditions by introducing you to legends and myths, locals, traditional foods, and recipes of Ortigia’s island. 

Are you ready to mindfully travel to Sicily? For devouring its heritage and cooking like a local? Go grab your copy of this unique, authentic Sicilian cookbook, travel guide, and journal!

From the intro: Ortigia’s food, magic, and legends

“In this Ortigia’s cookbook, we will explore the Sicilian island through history, with a hint of legend and a tad of magic. We will meet Dionysius, the tyrant, Artemis, the goddess, Aretusa, her beloved nymph, Archimedes, the thinker, Lucia, the saint, and Lucia, the not-so saint.

We will walk through Siracusa’s Greek theater ruins and shed a few tears watching a tragedy played while the sun sets. And we will go shopping, singing, and tasting through the busy fish market.

We will also explore a bit of the infinite Sicilian culture: play and read our future with tarot cards, replicate a recipe by a Monsù – Reign of the Two Sicilies chef -, and interview a local, sensible, and charismatic writer.

Back in the kitchen, we will discover capers, from the flowers to the fruits. And we will cook authentic regional recipes. Fishy pasta, of course, like bottarga paired with citrus peels – divine -, squid ink, or anchovies. But also veggie pasta recipes as per Sicily’s culinary tradition. Vegetables will also dominate the side dishes and pizza scene: we will bake two can’t-stop-devouring stuffed pizzas typical of this territory. And Pane Cunzatu, the local sandwich!

We will surprise our palate with some traditional fish dishes of Sicily: expect tuna (also as meatballs!), swordfish, grouper, and mackerel recipes.

We will also rediscover ancient recipes like the Scursunera – jasmine granita -, the Cuccia to celebrate Santa Lucia, Totò and Ossa Di Morti cookies to honor the Day of the Dead, and the Maccu to praise San Giuseppe.

The traveling through Sicily won’t be over, at least for this issue, until we drive from Ortigia to the stunning, baroque Noto, to the fishermen’s town of Marzamemi, and the vegetable reign of Pachino. In these ancient small towns, we will meet new personages, learn more stories, absorb traditions, and participate in festivals with very ancient roots.

We will also dive into Italy’s summer dishes and rituals – which are quite often linked -: rice or tuna salads, stuffed tomatoes, zucchini, or ricotta pasta, and “latte e menta,” milk with mint syrup.

Finally, we can’t end this Simposio without a gelato. We will enjoy it while listening to my friends and family’s favorite artisanal flavors and packed ice-creams!

Ready for a bath of sun, flavors, and Italians?

Welcome to Ortigia!

Claudia”

What you’ll find in Ortigia’s island Simposio:

115 pages
113 pictures
29 authentic Sicilian recipes
Sicilian travel and culture
a lot of tuna ♥

THE INDEX:

| Travel

08 Ortigia

10 Archia

12 Artemide

14 Aretusa

16 Archimede

18 Fish Market

20 Dionisio

22 Tragedies

24 Lucia

26 Giusi

83 Noto

88 Marzamemi

90 Pachino

| Culture

06 Bucket List

32 Tarocchi

34 Monsù

78 Santa Lucia

106 Gelato

110 Capperi!

| Recipes

36 Lacerto Agglassato

38 Salsa San Bernardo

40 Ortigia’s Food

42 Broccoli Arriminati Pasta

44 Salsa Moresca Spaghetti

46 Spaghetti Alla Siracusana

48 Maccu

50 Sugo Nero

52 Sugo Alla Siracusana

54 Bobbia

56 Patate Apparecchiate

58 Impanata

60 Pizzolo

62 Tonno Alla Marinara

64 Pescespada Alla Stemperata

66 Cernia Alla Matalotta

68 Purpetti Di Tonno Da Zà Cicca

70 Pane Cunzatu

72 Scursunera

74 Ossa Di Morti

76 Totò

80 Cuccia

86 Asparagi Di Noto

92 Filetti Di Sgombro Beddi Quantu U Suli

96 Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes

98 Tuna & Beans Salad

100 Tomato & Zucchini Pasta

102 Ricotta & Tomato Pasta

104 Latte & Menta

108 Fig Leaves Gelato