“Madre Carmela's favorite nuts were almonds. Not only did she like the way they tasted the best among all nuts, but she loved the flavor they imparted to Sicilian desserts from cakes to biscotti, and her favorite of all, Frutta di Martorana- the perfect fruit-shaped confections made from pasta reale, or marzipan, which required plenty of almonds. Who would have thought that the base for an elegant, regal dessert like marzipan came from such a simple ingredient as the almond?” FlavorAlmondsSicilianBaked GoodsIngredientConfectioneryMarzipan Book:Rosalia's Bittersweet Pastry Shop Source: Rosalia's Bittersweet Pastry Shop
“But what really intrigued Gianni was the one dessert that all of his friends had been baffled by- the cassata- a Sicilian cake, originating from Palermo and Messina, that consisted of sponge cake dipped in liqueur, layered with ricotta cheese and candied peel, and covered with a marzipan shell and icing; candied fruit in the shape of cherries and slices of citrus fruit topped the cake.” CakeSicilianAgataSorellaCassata Book:Rosalia's Bittersweet Pastry Shop Source: Rosalia's Bittersweet Pastry Shop