It may seem that there is nothing left to discover in a land that has always been in the spotlight, but Sicily oozes wonders, including the rich biodiversity that characterizes it.
Sicily is the only region to have a significant number of Slow Food Presidia: as many as 51, a recognition shared with other excellences around the world, but in no other territory so diverse and numerous. In this great gastronomic variety, the Vastedda della Valle del Belìce stands out, a fresh sheep's milk cheese with natural fermentation acidity.
The Belìce Valley, in western Sicily, between Palermo, Trapani, and Agrigento, is a vast hilly area with endless breathtaking beauty, sadly known for the earthquake that in 1968 disrupted the daily lives of many families. It was a devastating and destructive event from which people successfully rose again, unless one considers the sad depopulation typical of provincial towns. The earthquake left behind traces that have become famous artistic interest sites around the world: archaeological sites that survived the tremors, unusual land art such as Burri's Cretto in Gibellina, and lastly the Ancient City of Poggioreale, the largest among the ghost villages of Europe. A picturesque place, famous as a film set for movies and documentaries including “Nuovo cinema paradiso”, “L'uomo delle stelle”, and “Malèna”.
The valley has great natural beauty, rich in olive groves, vineyards, and ancient crops that change its appearance from season to season, making the landscape evocative. In this context, pastoralism has also been preserved.
Every company in the consortium of the Vastedda del Belìce DOP has its own story and identity, preserved by generations of breeders and cheese makers who have passed down the art of cheese making from father to son, as tradition dictates. The company “Ancient Flavors” of Lorenzo and Simona Pagliaroli was born from the bequest of an agricultural land in Poggioreale and from the request to take care of a small flock that no one wanted to care for anymore. The dairy produces typical cheeses of the place such as pecorino, canestrato, and the majestic Vastedda del Belìce, initially protected as a Slow Food Presidio and later recognized as DOP. A love story that sees the two protagonists, united in life, sharing the same passion for work: dairy production. Today, Lorenzo and Simona have added buffalo to their sheep, perhaps due to Lorenzo's origins in the Agro Pontino. The buffalo are raised by Lorenzo in a semi-wild state, with minimal forage integration, a guarantee of quality in the final product.
On March 19th, a typical sweet is produced in this area, the votive bread "Squartucciato," made for altars in honor of St. Joseph, a tradition shared with the neighboring municipality of Salaparuta.
The setup of the sumptuous altars in honor of Saint Joseph on March 18, when the homes of the residents open to visitors, attracts busloads of tourists from every place. The Squartucciato, the protagonist of this celebration, is the subject of great effort in the days leading up to it. It is made by layering two sheets of bread dough, filled with dried figs that have been sun-dried from the previous summer. It is hand-carved freehand using the so-called "lance," creating a series of symbolic figures such as Saint Joseph's staff, the Lily, the Monstrance, the Peacock, and the Fish, according to a predefined symbolism. The bread is then baked in the oven to become part of the altars, enriched with libations according to an ancient ritual that concludes with the sharing of dinner.
Today, the Squartucciato has merely a decorative function; there is no longer the hunger that drove people to eat it. Rather, thanks to the resourcefulness of Mrs. Nellina Salvaggio, who was the first to reproduce ceramic examples of it, a school was born that teaches young people the technique of processing this cheese to pass on the art to future generations. The decoration method of the Squartucciato, drawn from home cooking wisdom and perfected by artists Antonino Tusarolo and Marilena Salvato, has also become the basis for creating small ceramic artifacts, real jewels, a niche artisan activity under the brand Ciuryciury.
