Pasta reale di Erice

Almond cultivation in Sicily dates back to antiquity, traditionally attributed to the Phoenicians, who also established a settlement at Erice and built its fortification walls. The tradition of almond-based sweets in Erice is closely tied to the town’s convents, where cloistered nuns prepared pastries both for religious feasts and as a source of income. Among them, the San Carlo Monastery became especially renowned from the 17th century onwards for its production of marzipan and other almond confections. The tradition continued after the convent’s closure through former residents who went on to establish pastry shops in Erice, ensuring the survival of recipes such as pasta reale di Erice. == Preparation ==

The paste is prepared from shelled and skinned almonds that are finely ground, traditionally using a hand-cranked grinder. The ground almonds are then combined with sugar syrup, cooked until thick, and stirred together over heat. While still warm, the mixture is kneaded with heavy rolling pins until it forms a smooth paste. This almond paste is shaped into decorative fruits (Frutta di Martorana) or used as the base for a variety of other traditional confections. Examples include: • Palline, Bocconcini, Sospiri, Cuscinetti and Dessier – confections based on almond paste. • Mustazzoli – spiced or liqueur-flavoured almond biscuits. • Genovesi ericine – pastries filled with custard cream, produced alongside almond sweets in the same tradition. ==References==