Vastedda Palermitana

 

In our family eatery, the “Focacceria Palermitana”, “Joe’s of Avenue U” in Brooklyn, the “vastedda” was one of the most sought after delicacy.
On Saturday, a family member or one of the most trusted workers would be making the “vasteddi” that were sold as fast as they were made.
The “pane ca’ meusa”, which is a variety of “vastedda”, is a roll stuffed with boiled spleen cooked in lard and served with a thick slice of lemon.
The majority of people like the “vastedda” made with the spleen covered with ricotta, shavings of “caciocavallo” cheese and baked until the cheese melts: this is called “guastella maritata”, sandwich married.
The “guastedda schietta” the sandwich single or unmarried, consists of a roll stuffed with ricotta sautéed in the lard, covered with cheese and toasted until the cheese melts.

In Brooklyn, the vastedda is well liked not only by natives of Palermo, but also by many Sicilians, by people from other parts of Italy and their children, by daring gourmets, some of whom were regular customers of our “Focacceria”.

 

Serves 6

 

A day ahead boil the spleen for 45 minutes in an abundant amount of salted water.
Slice the spleen very thin about 1/8 of an inch and set aside.
Place the lard and 3 tablespoons of water in a skillet over a low heat.
When it starts to boil add the spleen and fry it in the lard for a few minutes.
Using a slotted spoon pick up some spleen, drip some lard from the meat and place it inside a roll. Pressing with the slotted spoon against the meat, drain as much lard as possible. Cover the meat with ricotta, sprinkle with some cheese and when all the vasteddi are made bake at 350 degree for a few minutes, until cheese and ricotta combine and bread gets lightly toasted