Italian Pastries

These decadent, crispy fried pastry tubes filled with luscious ricotta cheese cream are perhaps one of Sicily's best known desserts outside of Italy. Cannoli are believed to have originated around Palermo during the 9th century, while Sicily was u... READ MORE

These Italian carnival pastry fritters are made from dough that is cut into thin, rectangular sheets, which are then twisted into ribbons or kept flat with wavy borders. They are then deep-fried and usually finished with a sprinkling of powdered s... READ MORE

Sfogliatella is one of the most famous Italian pastries, with many regions offering their spin on the recipe. Although traditionally associated with Naples, it is believed that the original sfogliatella was invented around 1700 on the Italian Amal... READ MORE

Italian deep-fried doughnuts known as bomboloni are one of the traditional sweets of the Carnival season, but nowadays they can be prepared throughout the year. Even though bomboloni are said to be of Tuscan origin, they are commonly sold as a sna... READ MORE

Chiacchiere are popular Italian Carnival sweets with somewhat disputed origin—bugie, cenci, frappe, sfrappole, galani, frittole, lattughe and crostoli are just a few of the names by which they are known in the different regions of Italy, alt... READ MORE

This delectable cheese-filled focaccia hails from the town of Recco, Liguria's gastronomic capital where it can be found in every bakery, pizzeria, and restaurant. It was reportedly invented in the 12th century when, according to legend, the citiz... READ MORE

The Italian cornetto is a popular crescent-shaped pastry, similar to a croissant but with key differences. The dough is less laminated than that for a croissant and enriched with sugar, eggs, and butter, resulting in a cornetto with a slightly sof... READ MORE

Zeppole are a fried dough specialty that is found throughout southern Italy, consisting of deep-fried dough that is typically topped with sugar and can be filled with custard, jelly, pastry cream, or a combination of honey and butter. Some version... READ MORE

These luscious little balls of sweet fried dough are one of the most recognizable Italian carnival sweets. Their name derives from the word castagne, meaning chestnuts, referring to their shape and size rather than the use of rea... READ MORE

Pasticciotto is a popular Italian dessert consisting of a shortcrust pastry filled with flavorful pastry cream. Traditionally, the crust is made with lard, so that it is moister and softer than the regular crust prepared with butter. It is recomme... READ MORE

Struffoli is a Neapolitan dessert consisting of small, deep-fried balls of dough that are soaked in honey. Traditionally, struffoli is prepared at Christmastime, so they are sometimes served piled on a plate in the shape of a wreath or a Christmas... READ MORE

These deep-fried Sardinian pastries combine wheat or semolina dough with a slightly savory cheese filling. Sebadas are typically round and come filled with the sweet and aromatic young Pecorino Sardo cheese. Primarily a frugal and rustic ... READ MORE

Genovesi are traditional Sicilian pastries that can be filled with either a milky custard cream or ricotta cream. The most popular variety of these delicious treats is produced in the village of Erice. The dough usually consists of wheat flour, su... READ MORE

Graffe are soft Neapolitan fried sweets that are traditionally prepared for Carnival. It is believed that they were inspired by famous Austrian krapfen. The main characteristic of these leavened, doughnut-shaped fritters with a hole in th... READ MORE

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 ... READ MORE

Cartellate are traditional Italian holiday treats consisting of fried pastry shells filled with a variety of ingredients such as roasted almonds, chocolate, spices, and honey. They are a staple on every Apulian Christmas table, often coated in dri... READ MORE

Rocciata is a traditional pastry whose origins are mainly associated with Umbria and Marche. It consists of a thin sheet of dough that is filled with various combinations of apples, walnuts, sugar, and olive oil, while raisins, almonds, dried figs... READ MORE

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 vario... READ MORE

Tortelli dolci are traditional carnival sweet prepared all over Italy. They can either be deep-fried or baked in the oven, and some of the most popular fillings include plum jam, ricotta, chocolate, or chestnut cream. Delicious when served warm or... READ MORE

This traditional dessert hails from Apulia, and it is usually associated with Salento and the city of Lecce. It consists of a shortcrust pastry shell that is filled with pear or quince jam and almond paste. After it is filled, the oval-shaped trea... READ MORE

Bocconotto is a small Italian dessert consisting of a shortcrust pastry shell filled with various ingredients depending on the region. In Abruzzo, it is filled with chocolate, almonds, and fruit jam, while in Apulia, the tartlet is filled with bla... READ MORE

Donzelle are little puffs of deep-fried bread dough, though they can also be made with leftover pizza dough. Served sprinkled with salt while they are still hot, donzelle make a delicious accompaniment to any antipasto platter and are traditionall... READ MORE

Torta diplomatica, or diplomatic cake, is a traditional dessert made with layers of puff pastry, sponge cake, and cream. Believed to have aristocratic origins, its name may come from the diplomat profession or the "diplomatic cream" often used in ... READ MORE

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. Th... READ MORE

Pignolata is a traditional Sicilian sweet from the city of Messina, usually prepared during Christmas time. This festive treat consists of tiny balls of lemon-flavored pastry dough, fried or baked in the oven, then covered in dark chocolate and le... READ MORE

Ciarduna is a traditional Sicilian pastry that is typically produced in Palermo. The ingredients usually include flour, sugar, vanilla, ammonia baking powder, milk, crushed almonds, yeast, and strutto (lard). When combined, the result is ... READ MORE

The name of this Sicilian dessert translates to Turk's head and stems from the post-Crusades era and the rather twisted symbolism of eating the defeated Saracens’ heads. In most parts of Sicily, testa di Turco refers to a cream puff... READ MORE

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 ... READ MORE

Although the most popular version hails from Naples, sfogliatella is an Italian pastry that comes in several regional variations. The one from Abruzzo is typically filled with a mixture of ragnata—local grape jam made with Montepulc... READ MORE

Lingue di Procida is a traditional sweet pastry originating from the island of Procida. It's usually made with a combination of puff pastry, egg yolks and whites, milk, sugar, flour, and zest of the islands' sweet lemons. The puff pastry is rolled... READ MORE

Although they share a similar name, Apulian sfogliatella does not have much in common with the popular version from Naples. Sfogliatelle di Canosa are made with an aromatic filling that usually incorporates toasted and chopped almonds, dark chocol... READ MORE

Chizze Reggiane is a traditional snack originating from Reggio Emilia. It’s made with a combination of flour, butter, baking powder or yeast, salt, olive oil, peanut oil, and Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings. The flour is mixed with the butter, ... READ MORE

The bocconotto di Castel Frentano, also known as "castellino," is a traditional tartlet from the Castel Frentano in Abruzzo, Italy. The shortcrust pastry made using extra virgin olive oil is filled with a rich cream of dark chocolate, almonds, and... READ MORE

Mbriulata is a traditional Sicilian savory pastry originating from the Caltanissetta and Agrigento area. The pastry consists of dough that's stuffed with ingredients such as potatoes, cheese, olives, and ground pork, which is used as a replacement... READ MORE

Collorelle are traditional Sicilian sweet pastries originating from Caltagirone. The dough is made from flour, lard, sugar, and water. It is rolled, cut into strips, filled lengthwise with a sweet filling, then enclosed and connected into a ring. ... READ MORE

Pinza Bolognese is a traditional shortcrust pastry-based dessert from Bologna, belonging to a group of torte da credenza, which could be translated as cupboard cakes - simple cakes that can last for days without being stored in a... READ MORE

Petrali are traditional Christmas cookies from Reggio Calabria, Italy, cherished for their distinctive half-moon shape and rich, spiced fillings. The dough, typically a shortcrust pastry, encases a mixture of dried figs, walnuts, almonds, and citr... READ MORE

Minni di Virgini, also known as "Virgin's Breasts," are traditional dome-shaped sweets made from shortcrust pastry and filled with a rich mixture of milk cream, candied pumpkin (zuccata), chocolate chips, and cinnamon. They are typically topped wi... READ MORE

Pizzetta Cagliaritana, also known as pizzetta sfoglia, is a small, round snack is crafted from layers of pasta sfoglia (puff pastry) and topped with a simple yet flavorful tomato sauce, often garnished with a caper and a touch of anchovy paste. It... READ MORE

Orecchie di Amman are traditional Italian-Jewish sweet pastries that are typically served during Purim. The name means Amman's ears, referring to the evil Amman who persecuted Jews in Persia. The pastry dough is made with eggs, sugar, whi... READ MORE

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 a... READ MORE