Italian cuisine does not end at dinner. In fact, there is a large history behind the dolci (sweets) of Italian cooking. Here, we will examine the history and origins of some of the most popular Italian dessert items.
1) Cannolo
1) Cannolo
 |
| Cannoli from Vaccaro's in Baltimore, MD |
Perhaps the most popular
of all Italian desserts & pastries – it is an Italian household staple,
especially around the holidays. One would be hard pressed to find a
box of holiday pastries that did not contain a few of these gems.
People often mistakenly refer to a single one as “a cannoli.” A
singular one is a “cannolo” - plural is “cannoli.” Please do not say, "pass the cannolis."
 |
| "Cannolis" is the equivalent of saying desserts-s |
What
are they? Ricotta cream filled, fried dough “tubes.” You can tell
they are fresh by the crispness of the shell. If the shell is soggy,
it is not as fresh – but is still safe to eat.
History: Cannoli originated on the island of Sicily, in the Palermo area, during the Middle Ages. Typically, they were served once a year, in preparation for Carnevale (Fat Tuesday in America). Some claim that they were crafted as fertility symbols. They eventually became a year-round staple throughout Italy – and then followed Italians to the New World during mass immigration.
Specific Holiday: Unlike some Italian pastries, cannoli are not eaten on any one specific holiday. They are a year round treat for Italian family gatherings.
History: Cannoli originated on the island of Sicily, in the Palermo area, during the Middle Ages. Typically, they were served once a year, in preparation for Carnevale (Fat Tuesday in America). Some claim that they were crafted as fertility symbols. They eventually became a year-round staple throughout Italy – and then followed Italians to the New World during mass immigration.
Specific Holiday: Unlike some Italian pastries, cannoli are not eaten on any one specific holiday. They are a year round treat for Italian family gatherings.
2) Sfogliatella
 |
| Sfogliatella |
Another staple in the Italian pastry box, this
delicacy traces its roots back to Naples. In fact, there is an old Napolitano saying, “A Napoli tre cose sono belle: ’o mare, ’o
vesuvio, e sfogliatelle” (In Naples there are three
beautiful things: the sea, Mount Vesuvius, and sfogliatelle).
The name sfogliatella literally means “made of many layers” -
which is exactly what the outer shell resembles.
What are they? Triangular shaped, sweet ricotta filled shells. The traditional type (the riccia pictured above) has a hard, crispy outer layer. The frolla type is soft, and more dough like.
History: Sfogliatelle are variants of a sweet cream filled pastry created in Italy in the 1600s. The original pastry, called Santa Rosa, was created in a monastery. The recipe for Santa Rosa stayed a secret until the early 1800s, when a man named Pasquale Pintauro in Napoli proper, decided to make his own unique version of the pastry. His variant is what we now know as sfogliatella – a shell filled with a thick, ricotta cream.
Specific Holiday: No specific holiday – enjoy whenever you like!
What are they? Triangular shaped, sweet ricotta filled shells. The traditional type (the riccia pictured above) has a hard, crispy outer layer. The frolla type is soft, and more dough like.
History: Sfogliatelle are variants of a sweet cream filled pastry created in Italy in the 1600s. The original pastry, called Santa Rosa, was created in a monastery. The recipe for Santa Rosa stayed a secret until the early 1800s, when a man named Pasquale Pintauro in Napoli proper, decided to make his own unique version of the pastry. His variant is what we now know as sfogliatella – a shell filled with a thick, ricotta cream.
Specific Holiday: No specific holiday – enjoy whenever you like!
3) Zeppole/Sfingi
 |
| "Zeppole" on the left, "Sfingi" on the right |
You cannot walk
down a single Italian feast without seeing 10 booths dedicated to
this delicacy. Even though these items have different names – the
names are typically interchangeable, depending on where in Italy you
are from. Generally, Napolitani refer to them as Zeppoli. Sicilians
refer to them as Sfingi.
What are they? Fried dough balls, either filled with cream or “just” covered in sugar or honey. In some places (namely, Calabria) a variant calls for the plain fried dough to be filled with a single anchovy and served as an appetizer – typically around Christmas time.
History: Hold on to your hats – this is complex. Many agree that St. Joseph's Day has been celebrated throughout Italy with fried, sweet dough since 500AD. This feast was a Christian replacement for the much-older Roman celebration of mid-March, dedicated to their wheat/farming god. In essence, this type of food has been eaten for over 1,500 years. So far, so good.
Some historians believe that the Italian word “zeppole” comes from the Arabic word zalābiyya, which was a form of sweetened, fried dough. While the similarities between the two foods is undeniable – we're not convinced of that particular word origin. However, another Arabic word for zalābiyya is sifanj. There is no denying the correlation between that and the Sicilian word sfingi.
Specific Holiday: Zeppoli (the kind you see at a feast- just fried dough with powdered sugar on top) have no specific holiday. They can be enjoyed whenever. The Calabrese style (with an anchovy in the middle of the dough) is enjoyed during Christmas season – only. Sfingi (the kind with cream and a cherry) are typically enjoyed on St. Joseph's Day.
What are they? Fried dough balls, either filled with cream or “just” covered in sugar or honey. In some places (namely, Calabria) a variant calls for the plain fried dough to be filled with a single anchovy and served as an appetizer – typically around Christmas time.
History: Hold on to your hats – this is complex. Many agree that St. Joseph's Day has been celebrated throughout Italy with fried, sweet dough since 500AD. This feast was a Christian replacement for the much-older Roman celebration of mid-March, dedicated to their wheat/farming god. In essence, this type of food has been eaten for over 1,500 years. So far, so good.
Some historians believe that the Italian word “zeppole” comes from the Arabic word zalābiyya, which was a form of sweetened, fried dough. While the similarities between the two foods is undeniable – we're not convinced of that particular word origin. However, another Arabic word for zalābiyya is sifanj. There is no denying the correlation between that and the Sicilian word sfingi.
Specific Holiday: Zeppoli (the kind you see at a feast- just fried dough with powdered sugar on top) have no specific holiday. They can be enjoyed whenever. The Calabrese style (with an anchovy in the middle of the dough) is enjoyed during Christmas season – only. Sfingi (the kind with cream and a cherry) are typically enjoyed on St. Joseph's Day.
4) Pastiera & Colomba
 |
| "Pastiera" at top, "Colomba" at bottom |
It is
impossible to enter an Italian bakery, pasticceria or grocery store
without seeing these beauties during the Lenten season.
What are they? Sweet cakes, eaten for either breakfast or dessert. Pastiera is a typical round cake. Colomba is in the shape of a dove. More on that later.
History: Pastiera has a very long history. Many agree that its origin can be traced to ancient Rome – where our ancestors would welcome the coming of Spring. The practice of making a sweetened bread for the coming of Spring was adopted by early Christians to celebrate the coming of Easter.
The variation that we are most familiar with was created by a nun, in a convent, in Napoli. According to a site devoted to the dish, a “nun wanted that cake, symbol of the Resurrection, to have the perfume of the flowers of the orange trees which grew in the convent’s gardens. She mixed a handful of wheat to the white ricotta cheese, added some eggs, a symbol of the new life, some water which had the fragrance of the flowers of the spring time, cider and aromatic Asian spices.”
Colomba (Easter Dove Cake) – Also has a very long history. However, its history has several possible origins. According to one legend, the cake was invented in Lombardia in 1176AD, to honor the victory of Lombardy over the Holy Roman Empire. The victory was marked by two doves above the decisive battle – which locals interpreted to be the Holy Spirit.
Another legend claims that the bread was first made in the 572AD, again in Lombardia. This time, the bread was created after the northern city of Pavia was occupied by King Alboin and his troops. Upon entering the city, King Alboin requested that the city give him its twelve best women. One of these women, not wanting to be given over to the king, prepared a cake in the shape of a dove ( a symbol of peace.) She presented the cake to the king. He was struck by her innocence – and decided to spare her and the city.
Whichever legend you choose to believe, two things are plainly obvious: it is old and it is of northern Italian origin.
Specific Holiday: These cakes are only enjoyed during Easter Sunday & Pasquetta (Little Easter – the Monday after Easter Sunday.)
What are they? Sweet cakes, eaten for either breakfast or dessert. Pastiera is a typical round cake. Colomba is in the shape of a dove. More on that later.
History: Pastiera has a very long history. Many agree that its origin can be traced to ancient Rome – where our ancestors would welcome the coming of Spring. The practice of making a sweetened bread for the coming of Spring was adopted by early Christians to celebrate the coming of Easter.
The variation that we are most familiar with was created by a nun, in a convent, in Napoli. According to a site devoted to the dish, a “nun wanted that cake, symbol of the Resurrection, to have the perfume of the flowers of the orange trees which grew in the convent’s gardens. She mixed a handful of wheat to the white ricotta cheese, added some eggs, a symbol of the new life, some water which had the fragrance of the flowers of the spring time, cider and aromatic Asian spices.”
Colomba (Easter Dove Cake) – Also has a very long history. However, its history has several possible origins. According to one legend, the cake was invented in Lombardia in 1176AD, to honor the victory of Lombardy over the Holy Roman Empire. The victory was marked by two doves above the decisive battle – which locals interpreted to be the Holy Spirit.
Another legend claims that the bread was first made in the 572AD, again in Lombardia. This time, the bread was created after the northern city of Pavia was occupied by King Alboin and his troops. Upon entering the city, King Alboin requested that the city give him its twelve best women. One of these women, not wanting to be given over to the king, prepared a cake in the shape of a dove ( a symbol of peace.) She presented the cake to the king. He was struck by her innocence – and decided to spare her and the city.
Whichever legend you choose to believe, two things are plainly obvious: it is old and it is of northern Italian origin.
Specific Holiday: These cakes are only enjoyed during Easter Sunday & Pasquetta (Little Easter – the Monday after Easter Sunday.)
5) Panettone
 |
| Panettone |
An Italian staple
during the Christmas season, it is typically served for breakfast or
dessert.
What is it? A dry, sweet cake. Traditionally plain, but can be served with chocolate, nuts or candied fruits in the dough. Some varieties come with packets of powdered sugar to be sprinkled atop the cake.
History: Again we look back to our ancestors, the Romans. Historically, the Romans served a tall fruitcake – topped with honey. We know this based on ancient descriptions and on certain paintings from the Renaissance. This type of cake became paired with Christmas as early as the 1800s – where its decadence fed into the over-the-top nature of food and giving during the season.
The origin of the cake is undoubtedly Milanese.Competing legends exist to explain the modern variation of the cake. The first legend suggests that the cake is shaped (and named) after a type of religious hat worn by bishops ( a Pane Tone)
The second legend suggests that the bread was created by a baker (named Toni) who created the cake to impress the Duke of Milan. The Duke enjoyed the cake, and wanted more of the Pane di Toni (Toni's cake.) This phrase was then corrupted to “Panettone.”
Specific Holiday: The entire Christmas season.
Check out part 2 of this series!
What is it? A dry, sweet cake. Traditionally plain, but can be served with chocolate, nuts or candied fruits in the dough. Some varieties come with packets of powdered sugar to be sprinkled atop the cake.
History: Again we look back to our ancestors, the Romans. Historically, the Romans served a tall fruitcake – topped with honey. We know this based on ancient descriptions and on certain paintings from the Renaissance. This type of cake became paired with Christmas as early as the 1800s – where its decadence fed into the over-the-top nature of food and giving during the season.
The origin of the cake is undoubtedly Milanese.Competing legends exist to explain the modern variation of the cake. The first legend suggests that the cake is shaped (and named) after a type of religious hat worn by bishops ( a Pane Tone)
The second legend suggests that the bread was created by a baker (named Toni) who created the cake to impress the Duke of Milan. The Duke enjoyed the cake, and wanted more of the Pane di Toni (Toni's cake.) This phrase was then corrupted to “Panettone.”
Specific Holiday: The entire Christmas season.
Check out part 2 of this series!
No comments:
Post a Comment