Flavors of Montalbano: Camilleri's centenary with recipes and culture in Sicily

The now iconic arancini, but also 'ncasciata' pasta, sarde a beccafico, pappanozza, purpi a strascinasali, caponatina and cannoli: these are just some of the Sicilian dishes that, with a personal perspective , have become an integral part of Andrea Camilleri's literature .

An immersion in flavors, combining food, wine, theater, music, storytelling, tradition, and invention, will be the focus of Le cucine di Camilleri , a three-day event with activities, meetings, performances, and tastings in Ragusa Ibla. The event, from June 6 to 8 , is part of the centenary celebrations for the writer's birth.

"Even through his recipes, Camilleri transcends Sicily and therefore knows how to reach a much wider audience . His cuisine also reflects that subtle difference between reality and the world it evokes," explains Guglielmo Ferro, curator of the initiative promoted by the Chamber of Commerce of Southeastern Sicily in collaboration with the Andrea Camilleri Fund and the Camilleri 100 National Committee, in collaboration with the Municipality of Ragusa and the Mirabilia Network.

"It's like his Sicilian. His recipes aren't exactly Sicilian, but are also literary, revised, and invented. For him, food is primarily a sharing that goes beyond the table, and that's where the whole project was born," adds Ferro.

Among the events, in addition to the tastings , organized in collaboration with Slow Food, of typical products, wines and preparations inspired by the dishes in the writer's novels , there will be a recital with Moni Ovadia and Mario Incudine on texts by Camiller and the study day "Stratified reality: critical readings, socioeconomic impacts and challenges of the Montalbano universe".

In addition, Cesare Bocc, accompanied by musicians , will read stories about the commissioner at the Circolo di Conversazione (which the television audience knows because it was the place, in fiction, where Montalbano used to meet Dr. Pasquano ); the concert by the Mancuso Brothers, reference figures in popular music, who will present songs from the album "Manzam…", winner in 2021 of the Tenco Prize for best album in dialect.

"The goal of these three days is also to give back to Camilleri what he contributed to this part of Sicily ," explains Antonio Belcuore, extraordinary commissioner of the Chamber of Commerce of Southeast Sicily. "If he has international fame, it's thanks to his books."

"It's an event that I believe will have a great impact ," explains Felice Laudadio, president of the Camilleri 100 National Committee. "The centenary program of events began in March, and the attendance of audiences of all ages, including many young people, is striking."

Laudadio, a friend of the writer, used to eat the famous arancini at his house several times: " It was a celebration of sharing . The lunch, with the dishes you speak of, was an opportunity to be together, to experience the concept of a group."

"The recipes that Dad included in his novels ," explains Andreina Camilleri, the writer's eldest daughter and president of the Andrea Camilleri Fund , "were those of his family . His mother was a great cook and his uncles were also very good. He also knew how to cook; for example, he made arancini or munnizza, a simple dish prepared with cooked vegetables and biscuits.