Pane Cunzato (Sicilian Seasoned Bread)

In the simplest dishes lie the most genuine flavors... just think of a tomato bruschetta, for example, or seasoned bread, a Sicilian recipe that is as simple as it is delicious! Pane cunzato literally means 'seasoned bread' because it was originally enriched with the few ingredients available at home to create a cheap and nutritious meal, which over time has become one of the must-try dishes of local gastronomy. Also called 'poor man's bread' because of its humble origins, it is prepared in many ways, depending on the region: we are proposing Scopello-style seasoned bread, topped with tomatoes, primo sale cheese, anchovies, plenty of oregano, and extra virgin olive oil. But you can't miss the richer variants like Aeolian-style seasoned bread, with the addition of capers and onions, or Messina-style with eggplants, sun-dried tomatoes, and tuma cheese. You can also choose to stuff a loaf of bread as we did or serve it open-faced, maybe further enriching it with tuna, olives, and whatever your imagination suggests! Ideally, you should use a freshly baked loaf of durum wheat semolina bread, or the typical mafalde, but alternatively, you can heat the bread in your home oven and season it while it's still hot to enjoy an authentic and incredibly genuine seasoned bread.

If you are on vacation in Sicily, don't miss another delicious specialty to bite into: panelle!