CoastalviewsatMartingana,Pantelleria.
Left:spaghettiwithpistachionutsatOsteria
Il Principee Il Pirata.Above:bakerStefano
ofPanificioTerremoto.PREVIOUSPAGES
Left:drivingonViaSerraglia,nearRekhale.
Right: swimmers at Scauri harbour.
ofexpatartists,ceramicists,architects,fishermen,
musiciansanddistillers.
Visionariessuchasarchitectandlong-timeresident
GabriellaGiuntolihavehelpedpreservetheisland’s
aestheticbyrestoringthedammusi,thedistinctive
traditionalhousesbuiltwiththeisland’sblackporous
rocks.Thesedwellingsareingeniouslydesignedto
admitthecoolnightairinsummerandretainthe
day’swarmthinwinter.It’sdryhere,andtheir
whitewasheddomesarebuilttotraptherain.One
ofthemostimpressivedammusistarredindirector
LucaGuadagnino’s 2015 stylishdramaA BiggerSplash.
Renewedappreciationamongconnoisseursforthe
island’sdistinctiveproduce– thecelebratedzibibbo,
itsparticularlypunchycapersandperfumedoregano- hasinturndrawnpeoplebacktotheland.Among
a newwaveofentrepreneursis Milanese-bornchef-
turned-winemakerJacopoBianchi.“Mygoalis to
representtheislandinmywine,”hesays,describing
theflavouras“hotness,freshness,sour,honey,lemon - a messthatis moresoilthansea”.Winebearinghis
Anforajelabelis servedat restaurantsincludingthe
CatalanhotspotElCellerdeCanRoca,wherehehas
worked.Bianchirecentlyboughtlandontheisland
andplanstocultivatezibibbo,andhe’samongthe
winemakersproducingsavourywhitewinewiththe
grape.(Fora traditionalsweetpassitomadewith
zibibbo,trySalvatoreFerrandes’wine.)
OtherwinemakersmakingwavesincludeFrancesco
Ferreri,whoseTancaNicalabelis makinga frizzante
wine,whichhenamesGhirbí;andGabrioBini,whose
wineis maturedinamphoraeburiedbeneaththeporous
volcanicpumice.TryhisstraightzibibboorFanino
Serragghia,madebyhissonGiottowitha combination
ofwhite(catarratto)andred(pignatello)grapes.
Livinglikea Pantescomeanseatinglikeone.
Duringmyfirstvisittotheislandin2017,I was
surprisedbythescarcityoflocalseafood.I quickly
learntthere’slittleprotectedhabitatforfishonthe
deep,rockycoastline,soit’smainlydeep-seafish
androckdwellers– octopusandurchins– on
menus.I’vereturnedtotheislanda handfulof
timesandhavefoundit takesonlythreeorfour
localingredientstocreatea Pantescanfeast.Lunch
at KayàKayà,intheportofScauri,involvessimple
combinations:octopuswithcelery,potatoesand
oliveoil,eggplantina tomatosaucewithbreadcrumbs
andgratedricotta,orgrilledzucchiniwithmintin
a poolofoliveoil.Teamedwitha beeranda quick
swimat thelighthouse,it’sexactlywhatI wantto
eatona summer’sday.
AtOsteriaIl Principee Il Pirata,arguablythe
island’sbestfoodis servedona terracewithviews
overtheruggedsouth-east.Here,therobustflavour
oflocalscorpionfishmakeseasyfriendswitholive
oil and the juices of tomatoes, olives and capers.➤
GOURMET TRAVELLER 135