10 typical desserts and sweets in Catania

Sicilian traditional desserts that you can’t miss!

GALLERY

 I 10 dolci tipici catanesi da provare: SFOGLIA LA GALLERY

 1 - Cassata siciliana

 2 Cannoli siciliani

 3 - Raviola di ricotta

 4 - Iris catanese

 5 - Panzerotto siciliano

 6- Granita e brioche

 7 - Frutta Martorana

 8 - Paste di mandorla

 9 - Gelato artigianale

 10 -Torta Savoia

Sicily is famous for its traditional dishes: there are many recipes both for sweet and savoury food.  As one of the most important city of this beautiful island, Catania is rich of typical Sicilian food and has an important Italian cooking tradition itself. However, do you know what are the typical desserts and sweets to eat in Catania? If you are a sweet tooth, this article will be your cup of tea!

 2 Cannoli siciliani

CATANIA TYPICAL DESSERTS WITH RICOTTA CHEESE

One of the main product of Sicilian pastry is the ricotta, a soft and white cheese used in many Sicilian recipes. It’s the principal ingredient of the famous Sicilian cake “Cassata”, made of a sponge filled with a ricotta cream and covered with icing, candy fruits and “pasta reale”. It is not only an old-time dessert but also a symbol of Sicilian cooking tradition.

Actually, another iconic Italian dessert, which belongs to Catania traditions, is Sicilian cannoli. Cannoli are well-known all over the world, thanks to their crunchy fried shells and their ricotta sweet inside. You can taste them in the chocolate cream version too!

Due to their small dimension, Sicilian cannoli can be enjoyed also during a relaxing walk in Catania city centre and you can easily find them in every Sicilian bakery or bar in town.

 6- Granita e brioche

CATANIA TYPICAL BREAKFAST

Ricotta can be also found in other less known local specialities such us the “raviola”, which is one of the main pastry of the tasty Catania breakfast, together with the “Iris” and the “cream panzerotti”.

Speaking about breakfast, you can’t miss savouring the “granita”, especially the almond version, with the unmissable brioche “col tuppo”. Despite it is a typical summer Sicilian food, you can find it during the entire year.

 8 – Paste di mandorla

CATANIA DESSERTS WITH PISTACHIO AND ALMOND

Furthermore, two other typical ingredients that you will certainly find in every Sicilian cookbook are pistachio and almond, used as grain or as paste in a lot of recipes (biscuits, granite and ice cream).

For example the “pasta di mandorla” and “frutta martorana” are made with almond paste.

 9 – Gelato artigianale

CATANIA HOMEMADE ICE-CREAM

As I said before, pistachio and almond are often used in making Sicilian ice cream. Catania homemade ice cream is one of the most popular and consumed traditional speciality in Sicily. There are many ice cream shops, bar and bakeries that produce ice cream with high quality raw materials and create always new savours to satisfy costumers. One of the most common way to enjoy an ice cream around Catania is the “brioche con gelato”, the typical Sicilian brioche filled with any kind of ice cream.

 10 -Torta Savoia

THE “SAVOIA CAKE”

For the ones who love Italian chocolate, there is something for you too in Sicilian pastry: the “Savoia cake”. This cake is made of several layers of sponge, chocolate and hazelnuts cream and covered with a chocolate glaze.

According to the Sicilian tradition, this delicious cake was made for the first time by the Benedectine nuns of Catania for the Savoia royal family when Sicily was annexed to the “Regno di Italia”. Many bakeries and bar sell this cake already cut in small slices.

The advice list would be longer: these are only just some of the typical Sicilian dessert that you should absolutely taste in Catania! What are you waiting for?