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Cassatelle or casateddi are deep-fried Italian pastries that consist of a sugary filling enclosed within two thin layers of dough, which is enriched with white wine or Marsala. Often considered to be the sweet version of ravioli pasta, cassatelle originated in the Sicilian province of Trapani, where they are still traditionally prepared with a lemon-flavored filling that combines ricotta cheese and chocolate drops.
Apart from the traditional version, different varieties of this classic treat are widespread across Sicily. The most popular ones include cassatelle Agira, prepared with a cocoa-and-almond filling, and different varieties are made with pumpkin, figs, or chickpeas.
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Iris is a traditional Sicilian fried dessert that’s particularly associated with the city of Palermo. The dessert consists of balls of yeasted dough that are stuffed with a mixture of ricotta cheese and sugar. The dough is usually prepared with a combination of flour, milk, sugar, eggs, yeast, and butter.
Once stuffed, the balls are dipped in whisked eggs, then rolled in breadcrumbs and fried in hot oil until golden. There are also variations on iris that are stuffed with cream or Nutella. Iris was invented in 1901 by pastry chef Antonio Lo Verso, who named the fried dessert in honor of Pietro Mascagni’s eponymous opera.
Also referred to as Sicilian doughnuts, the deep-fried sfinci were traditionally made on March 19th for the Feast of Saint Joseph, hence the name. Today, sfinci are available all year round, and they are also a popular Christmas treat.
Though the authentic recipe calls for the use of strutto (rendered lard), St Joseph doughnuts have an amazingly light texture. They are typically served topped with a mixture of ricotta and candied fruit; garnished with candied orange peel or pistachio slivers, then dusted with icing sugar.
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Arancini con cioccolato is a traditional variety of arancini rice balls originating from Sicily. For this version, the arancini are filled with flavored chocolate sauce. The filling usually consists of dark chocolate, sugar, vanilla, butter, cinnamon, and grated lemon zest.
The rice is cooked with milk and sugar, stuffed with the chocolate mixture, and the arancini are then breaded and deep-fried in oil until the exterior becomes golden. Before consumption, it's recommended to drain the chocolate-stuffed rice balls. They're traditionally served as a dessert or a sweet snack.
Crispelle is an Italian fried dough that is typically prepared in the southern parts of Italy. It consists of bread or pizza dough, and it can be plain or enhanced with other ingredients to make it savory or sweet. This specialty may come in various shapes - long strips, rings, or balls of dough - all of them deep-fried in hot oil until nicely colored.
Typical ingredients in the filling include sheep ricotta, anchovies, salted cod, sardines, broccoli, and potatoes for the savory versions, while the sweet versions are often plain with just powdered sugar, filled with raisins, or topped with honey.
A version of crispelle known as crispelle di riso are orange-and-cinnamon-flavored rice fritters that are usually soaked in sweet honey sauce.
Pignoccata is a popular Sicilian sweet that is traditionally prepared during Carnival and Christmas time. It consists of bite-sized fried pieces of pastry dough generously soaked in hot, lightly caramelized honey. The sticky, sweet balls are then arranged in a pile and sprinkled with colorful sugar confetti and chopped pine nuts or almonds.
Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, these gooey treats are best enjoyed while still warm.
Bacio di Pantelleria is a traditional dessert from Pantelleria that consists of a deep-fried shell and a creamy ricotta filling. The batter is made with eggs, milk, flour, and sugar, and the fritters are made by dipping a flower-shaped mold in the batter and then dropping the batter-coated mold directly into sizzling oil.
The technique results in a light and crispy golden fritter that comes in various decorative forms. To complete the dessert, two fritters are glued with a mixture of whipped ricotta and chocolate chips. Optionally, the batter can be made with the addition of cocoa, coffee, or liqueurs, and the filling can be enriched with candied fruit.
Baci di Pantelleria are crispy, flower-shaped fritters filled with a mixture of crema pasticcera, ricotta, and drops of chocolate. The fritters are traditionally prepared on the Italian island of Pantelleria. Special iron molds are used for frying, and after cooling, a dollop of luscious filling is placed on one fritter, and it is then topped with another fritter.
The concoction is generously dusted with powdered sugar. The delicious, visually spectacular baci di Pantelleria taste even better when paired with another renowned local product - the sweet Ben Ryé wine.
Zeppole di riso are delicious deep-fried sweets from Catania, allegedly invented by the Benedictine nuns back in the 16th century, which is why they are also called benedettine. The dough is made with rice cooked in milk, which is why these orange and honey flavored puffs have a very delicate, soft, and almost creamy interior hidden beneath a crunchy, fried crust.
Zeppole di riso are best served while still hot, generously covered in honey, cinnamon, and powdered sugar.
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