A traditional sweet from the areas of Palermo and Messina. It consists of a round sponge cake moistened with fruit juices or liqueur and layered with ricotta cheese, candied peel and a chocolate or vanilla filling similar to cannoli cream.
Sicily is one of the most popular destinations for culinary experiences. Food is a very important aspect of Sicilian life as there is an incredibly large variety of locally produced fruits with some not being very common in other regions.
From Cannoli to Arancini, Sicilian food is world-famous. However, thanks to its diverse history (everyone from Arabs to Normans governed the island), Sicily’s cuisine represents a complex layer of cultures. The island is incredibly fertile and produce grown here includes olives, oranges, lemons, eggplants/aubergines, tomatoes, pistachios, almonds and of course grapes
Prickly pears are a typical Sicilian product. The plant was first introduced in the region after the discovery of America and it was named “fico d’India” (Indian fig) because when Christopher Columbus arrived in the new continent and saw prickly pears he thought he was in India.
During the summer, if you find yourself cooking in your villa, you will find fruit everywhere, including in the villa’s own garden. In Sicilian cookery prickly pears are also used to make liquors and typical Sicilian cakes, such as Buccellato, which is very common at Christmas time.