Hyblaean flavours ...

Some archaeological finds capture the vocation of a district better than any description can. One example is a small rolled-up lead lamina, known as the Plaga Mesopotamium, housed at the Archaeological Museum in Syracuse. Unearthed near Kamarina, this metal scroll documents the sale of a small, one-hectare vineyard.

An early land title deed, in the name of a woman who owned a wine shop, it clearly shows the wine trade was already flourishing by the third century BC. This is of course the oldest evidence of viticulture here in the Ragusa area. Here at the southern tip of Sicily, this is a great wine district, particularly around Vittoria, home to the magnificent Cerasuolo reds. Ragusa province owes its finewine production to its fertile soils and Mediterranean character, with a variety of landscapes ranging from coastal zones to ranges of hills often dominated by centuries-old olive groves and majestic carob trees. The sandy soils of its vineyards are ideal for growing the native varieties from which theCerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG is made – a wine with a strong local identity, with its typical cherry red hue, full velvety flavour and fruity bouquet. Ragusa province has some of the most modern wineries in Europe, and our wines have won the highest awards in all the major Italian and international wine competitions.

A total of around fifty wineries are grouped into three associations, whose products have made huge strides in terms of quality. The grapes come mainly from native varieties such as Nero d'Avola, Frappato di Vittoria, Inzolia, Grillo and others, recognized throughout the world for their distinctive qualities. Alongside these wines, the Hyblaean district offers a varied gastronomy that shows traces and contributions from all of the different cultures which have settled this land over the last two thousand years, connected both with the historical and cultural events occurring in Sicily, and with the island’s religious and spiritual life.

We can discover all of this by taking a journey into the Iblei, enjoying the flavours and fragrances of the area’s dishes. There is a wide choice of restaurants offering local specialties; starters include various types of salami and sausage, as well as stretched-curd cheeses such as provole andcaciocavallo (typical of the Ragusa area) and locally-grown olives. There are also a wide variety of local specialities, including cavati e ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese in a pork sauce, and maccu, a soup made with broad beans. When it comes to main courses, pork takes pride of place, with dishes such as costata ripiena, (stuffed entrecote), salsiccia (sausage) or gelatina (liatina in local dialect) a pork terrine in aspic, not to mention the stuffed hen or gallina ripiena (‘iaddina co’ cinu, a tradition at the feast day for the patron saint); trippa alla ragusana (Ragusa tripe) and the local rabbit specialityconiglio a partuisa.

There are also plenty of sweet dishes, such as mucatoli (biscuits made with almonds, honey and spices), typical Sicilian cannoli di ricotta and the characteristic ‘mpanatigghi baked in Modica to a recipe containing almonds, chocolate, fillet of veal and various spices. Down on the coast, enjoy tasty seafood risottos or spaghetti dishes, or fresh catches at the little fishing ports of Donnalucata, Scoglitti and Pozzallo, while mile upon mile of greenhouses provide European markets with early vegetables throughout the year. Even the snacks are excellent and varied, so where possible try thearancine, 'mpanate and scacce, the latter consisting of thin leaves of pastry flour, stuffed with spinach or ricotta cheese, with broccoli, tomato or aubergine.