It seems to me that Italy is brimming with local specialty foods. Every area off the boot has a different foodstuff that is unique to and characteristic of a certain specific location, and Sicily is no exception. Avola is famous for its almonds and wine, Ribera for its oranges and strawberries, Bronte for its pistachios…and…Castelvetrano for its olives and olive oil (which you already know) and its pane nero, “black bread”, (which you might not already know).

Sicily, with its ideal climate and soil conditions, has been an important area for wheat cultivation for centuries. In fact, the origins of pane nero date back to the Greek colony of Selinunte (a fraction of Castelvetrano) where it was first made using a blend of durum flour (a whole wheat flour with an especially high protein content) and the flours ground from the local wheat varieties later named Tumminia and Russulidda, which only grow in certain areas around Castelvetrano. Water, salt and a natural yeast known as “lu criscenti” (a piece of fermented dough from the previous batch of bread), which keeps the bread fresh and delicious days longer than most others, comprise the only other ingredients added to make this special bread.

It is baked in a wood burning stone oven traditionally using the wood from the local Nocellara del Belice olive trees. The oven is brought to a scorching 300°C/572°F, and then the flames are extinguished. The baking surface of the oven is then swiped clean of any charcoal using a wet curina broom (made with a particular palm tree fiber), and the bread is introduced into the oven. The bread is cooked slowly, without fire, while the temperature of the oven decreases.

The classic shape of the bread is round and known locally as a “vastedda”. The name most probably comes from the latin vastellum, meaning round bread, but is also the name of a locally made sheep’s cheese known as Vastedda del Belice, which has the same round shape. It has a dark, toasted coffee colored crust that is dusted with sesame seeds and a soft, tan colored center with a mild, sweet flavor and a toasted aroma. It is rich in fiber, zinc, iron, calcium, phosphorous, vitamins B1 and B2 and magnesium.

Today, pane nero is made with the same ingredients and in the same manner as it always has been, giving it the same slightly sweet, toasty taste that has been enjoyed here for centuries. Whole grains are the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet and should be enjoyed eveyday. One of my favorite ways is for my morning toast with a veil of homemade jam or local honey. I have also found that it makes a particularly interesting addition to a cheese platter, going very well with not only the cheeses, but also the fruits, nuts and other accompaniments. The hearty pane nero also lends itself beautifully to any savory dish,  and can be served at any meal, as it is often here in Castelvetrano. In fact, it is the bread of choice for making the delicious Sicilian pani cunzatu, “seasoned bread”. Or, for all you minimalists out there, you could just simply dunk warms chunks of pane nero in Olio Verde Novello. The sweetness of the bread and the spiciness of the freshly pressed oil…need I say more??? – AM