Five amazing sweet snacks from Sicily

Sicily is home to many of Italy’s best-loved sweets. Cannoli is undoubtedly the most famous of all, but there are many other delicious delicacies also originating from the southern island. Read on for our five favourite recipes and be transported to the Mediterranean.

Cannoli are a staple of Sicilian cuisine and the region’s best known sweet pastry. Traced back to the original Arab pastry makers of the Emirate of Sicily, cannoli are characterized by a crispy, fried pastry shell and ricotta-based stuffing. These days cannoli can come with any number of flavours and toppings, but the classic ricotta and chocolate combination featured in Antonella la Macchia’s Sicilian cannoli recipe is hard to beat.

Sicily's rich culinary traditions take many influences from the various cultures that occupied the island over the centuries. These delicious shortcrust pastries, from the small town of Agira, showcase many international influences and are stuffed with a fragrant mix of chickpea flour, cinnamon, lemon zest and almonds. They are traditionally served during Christmas, but have become so popular that they can be found in Sicily throughout the year.