From cannoli to almond biscotti, passing through cassatelle — semi-circular dough pockets filled with ricotta — we owe much of Sicily’s wonderful pastry culture to the creativity of cloistered nuns who, since at least the 13th century, turned the simple ingredients they could source locally into signature desserts. 

As explained in a recent Aleteia story, this tradition has roots in the Middle Ages when nuns used to bake sweet goods like biscotti to gift them to high profile visitors such as bishops, doctors, or accountants. In the second half of the 15th century, sugar became more commonly available and this pastry-making tradition started to expand, with nuns making all sorts of sweet creations to sell.