Today is the ferragosto bank holiday, my third since coming to live in Sicily and once again, I was lucky enough to be invited by kind friends to sit under a pair of shady mulberry trees in their garden and partake of a leisurely lunch which lasted till 4pm. The menu consisted of:
2 kinds of antipasto
pasta [with shellfish for most, with oil for another friend and myself]
veal for me
fish for the others
green salad
stuffed aubergines
bowls of juicy, cooling melon
a selection of other fruit
And I made my lemon semifreddo again [which is really Jennifer Paterson's "Suffolk Lemon Pudding"].
Oh yes, look who came too and she was such a good girl!
I stole the aubergine recipe from my friend some years ago so here it is:
Boil some aubergines for 20-30 minutes, until the skin is soft. When they are cool enough to handle, halve them lengthways and score the flesh. You can then halve them again vertically if you want to. Place them on an oiled baking tray, season the flesh and sprinkle with a little olive oil. Add chopped basil and whatever other herbs you like - Sicilians insist that aubergine and mint make a "good marriage" - some grated parmesan and some toasted breadcrumbs. Drizzle with oil. Cook for about 30 minutes at 180 C, have a look and add more oil if the mixture seems to be drying, then continue cooking at about 110 C till they look done. I serve these with a tomato and caper salad.
10 comments:
That sounds so wonderful...sitting outside under the mulberry tree. A great way to spend an afternoon. I can just imagine my two rascals...they'd freak out if I took them visiting! They hate it when I get visitors here at home! lol
NOW I recall I worked through lunch! Wow that looks yummy, and Miss Thing looks very happy. LOOK at that face!
Oh, Lee, it was! Simi is good with most people and my friends have a 6-year-old grandaughter, with whom she played - it was love at first sight between those 2! Hello, Lady M - yes, she enjoyed herself very much and is now ready to bark at the ferragosto fireworks , which we expect at around 2 am. No nation does celebratory noise more wholeheartedly than the Italians!
Hi WCLC,
That looks like a mighty fine celebratory meal for Ferragosto and I'm sure you all enjoyed sitting in the shade.
I'm so glad Miss Simi made a little friend. Dogs and young children just go together
regards
jmb
Hello, sweet little Simi.
It must be nice to wake up to such a happy little face in the morning.
Tanti auguri, WL. I'll try your aubergine recipe
Hi, jmb. It was so relaxing and a nice outing for Simi. She is incredibly good around children. Simi says "Hello, Auntie Ruthie!" Yes, every morning I tell her there's no one I'd rather wake up with! Ciao, WW. Hope it works well.
Second try - not really a seafood person but the fish looks good.
Simi looks extra cute today.
Looks like it's still hot there!
Buona sera, your lordship. I can't eat fish at all,as I think you know, so photo just for blogging purposes. Crushed, she was on her best behaviour - we'd had a good talk about it, you see - and she was well rewarded afterwards with extra cuddles! Hot again but not above 40 C, I am glad to report, so bearable, and evenings much cooler. Auguri a tutti.
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