Pane Cunzatta

As I sometimes do on Sunday morning, I went into town and bought my own paper, and also the national paper that Paolo likes to read. Ignatzia had not been feeling really well in the hot weather, and I wanted a chance to stop by without her thinking I was there to get some of her wonderful eggplant, or bread, or fresh eggs, or home made sauce, or any of the other marvelous things she usually overworks to supply her family and me with.
When I got there, she was just taking fresh baked bread out of her wood fired oven. Her daughter Maria and Maria's husband were there helping. I think Paolo may have been finally banished from the oven room, as they always tend to speak loudly to each other in Sicilian when he is there, and the subject is usually how hot or cold he has made the fire for the oven.

At any rate, the bread was just coming out, and clearly they had not made as much as usual, but Ignatzia asked if I would like some Pane Cunzatta, as I do not think there was enough bread for her to offer me a full loaf, and have enough for her and Paolo and the three kids with families and anyone else who might stop by. Being shy about such things, I told her I would love to have some. She wrapped a quarter kilo of pane cunzatta in paper towels, and off I went. (that equals a half a pound).
Pane Cunzatta is a Sicilian specialty. One takes warm bread, slices it in half, and pours olive oil on it, salt, and anchovies. Some people also put freshly sliced tomatoes on it, and perhaps a little bit of Parmesan cheese. When Ignatzia makes it, the bread usually drips with the olive oil made from the olives from their trees. Fran's family called theirs oil bread, and it did not have anchovies, as they did not live near the sea. I understand that the folks in the Catania area are known to add ham to theirs. Of course I believe that Sciacca's is best, whether made by Ignatzia or by Panaficio American Style and the Colletti family.

The thing is, you have to eat it when the bread is at least still warm. So I hurried home and did.