Il Garufi Edizioni: The stories of Prof. Socrate Sciusciapinseri – by Salvatore Paolo Garufi Tanteri
The stories of Prof. Socrate Sciusciapinseri
by Salvatore Paolo Garufi Tanteri
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1
I pinnini a ‘rraggiata
In a place in Sicily on the borders of the Plain of Catania, two clusters of houses are grafted on the first reliefs of the Iblei Mountains.
Centuries of baroning and fierce infighting separated the inhabitants into two tribes, “one against the other army” – as the Manzoni in the poem On May 5 th immortalized the 18th century Enlightenment and the romantic nineteenth–century -. Two beautiful Churches – already declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site – at this point demonstrate to the visitor the extraordinary quality of art that can arise from rivalries.
All around those temples are the old quarters of the peasants and ranchers where the brigandage and the world of the fielders flourished.
Finally, in the poorest district – called St. Peter – an old professor of History and Philosophy, certainly Socrate Sciusciapinseri, opened “The House of the Ancient Dream”, a restaurant that has become a universe apart.
For this enterprise he set out in society with two of his friends culturally neglected, but very ambitious, the skeptical Prometeo Mazzacanagghia and the gullible Felice Ammuccabanneri.
I fail to do so on purpose, on the day the restaurant was inaugurated a chinese married couple arrived in St. Peter’s, who all morning had photographed every corner of the country.
“Let’s let him taste our typical dish… of those who resurrect the dead!” said Ammuccabanneri.
“And finish it!” he jumped on Mazzacanagghia. “Of typical we have only the presumption… To make even two Chinese happy, the oil of our mountains is enough.”
“It would be enough…” confirmed Prof. Sciusciapinseri, “if they grinded the olives cold, as they used to. In the modern mills of the global society the use of hot water may increase yield, but it ruins the product. The Mallia oil mill, on the other hand, has tested me its production made according to traditional systems. I want, therefore, that our dish is the image of our rebellious soul and enjoy it. We will bring to the table “I pinnini a ‘rraggiata”, the pens to the angry, according to a recipe that was invented in Calabria. We will make a sauté with Mallia oil of the “Primaluce line“, lard, a crushed garlic clove, a sliced onion, a chopped chilli. We will then add six ripe peeled tomatoes and cook everything. Separately, we’re going to boil six hundred grams of pennette in salted water. When the dough is al dente, we will unwit it and mix it with the sauce in the pan, letting it flavor over low heat. Finally, before serving it to our Chinese friends, we make you rain our pecorino… For four people it should be enough.”
“It will definitely be enough,” Mazzacanagghia said. “Even because it’s only two… and I see them as well rather ossuted.”
“They wouldn’t stay with us for long,” Smiled Sciusciapinseri