Maria Grammatico maintains traditional methods and standards for all the sweet treats and pantry items she cerates at her small rustic passiticeria.  Maria’s early life was very difficult, living in a cloistered orphanage until she was 22.  There nuns taught Maria the art of marzipan confections and other traditional Sicilian treats. She, along with the other children from the orphanage, would go into town and sell the treats to supply much needed income for the convent and orphanage. Her story is told in the book she wrote “Bitter Almonds Recollection and Recipes from a Sicilian Girlhood”.

 

When Maria left the orphanage she took with her the recipes and traditions that she had been taught and she then opened the Passiticeria Maria Grammatico in the Sicilian hill town of Erice.  By sourcing the best quality ingredients and applying the timed honored methods she had learned, Maria has gained international recognition for her biscotti, torrone, cakes and savory pantry condiments.  She regularly welcomes travelers from all parts of the globe to take coffee and indulge in her artful creations.   

 

Thick tomato paste made from a Sicilian heirloom variety of San Marzano tomatoes. The tomatoes are carefully ground by hand and the resulting paste is then spread onto a tauleri, a long wooden board.  The boards are placed on the rooftop of the passiticeria under the hot Sicilian sun to dry for 8-10 days. Each evening at dusk the boards are removed to prevent any night moisture from collecting on the drying paste. The paste is then turned everyday with a large flat wooden spatula and placed back on the roof at sunrise. The turning of the paste is done twice daily to encourage even drying and consistency throughout the process. The paste takes on a deep ox blood color at the end of the drying period.  It is then salted with local sea salt and packed in a candari, a large clay vessel.   Before covering loosely with cloth and a terra cotta lid, Sicilian extra virgin olive oil is poured over the paste to preserve the color and intensity of flavor.

 

A small spoonful of Estratto will bring depth of flavor to any tomato sauce or braise. A simple favorite of Sicilians is to moisten grilled bread with olive oil and spread a thick layer of the paste on top, resulting in a crostini like no other.