In every conversation about Italian cuisine, sweets rarely come up, do they? It's often about the pizza, pasta, panini, and calzone. There are also the meats, seafood, and, of course, the wine that go with them. As far as Italian desserts are concerned, gelato probably has every other sweet beat. Only a handful like tiramisu, panna cotta, and cannoli can go head-to-head with the creamy dessert. But that's a shame because Italy has a ton of other treats that you wouldn't want to miss. They're just as delightful as these popular sweets, but the fact that they're not well-known often leaves them ignored. Here are five that you might want to know about.
Cassata
A colorful cake unlike any other, the traditional Sicilian dessert, Cassata, is a definite must-try! At first glance, with its lime-green hue and bright red cherry on top, it looks more like a Halloween treat than a typical sweet. But once you taste the sweetened sheep’s milk ricotta cheese and feel the fluffy sponge cake texture, you'll want to enjoy it no matter what day it is. Usually, the cake is made into smaller cupcake-like portions called '
cassatine,' and they make for a great gift to give to neighbors, new friends, or even your business colleagues too.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Pasticciotto
If you were to ask what you ought to
eat in Puglia, many would answer Pasticciotto! This custard-filled pastry is a common dessert in the region, particularly in the
church-filled city of Lecce. As a short-crust pastry, the Pasticciotto is easy to make and even easier to bite into. Once you do and your mouth fills up with the creamy filling, you'll be in heaven in an instant! Although the traditional filling of choice has always been custard, many have played with the recipe by going for other alternatives such as fruit preserves or even the popular hazelnut spread,
Nutella.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ GrammaFascist
Seada
While the Pasticciotto is popular in Puglia, the Seada is the common dessert in
Sardinia. Just like the former, a Seada is a filled pastry that packs a punch. And what a punch it is! Since the treat is commonly filled with sheep’s cheese and lemon zest, all while deeply fried to golden brown perfection, it's a more savory treat than the others on this list. But don't think that the nuttiness of the cheese and the tanginess of the lemon zest are all the flavors a Seada offers. If you serve it Sardinia-style—drizzled with honey—you can get the sweet richness of the dessert!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Japs 88
Torta Mimosa
Despite its name, the Torta Mimosa isn't infused with any alcohol at all. The cocktail doesn't have anything to do with this dessert. The 'Mimosa' in question is the delicate flower that often decorates the cake when it's served in early March. Since March 8 is International Women's Day, it's only fitting that the flower that symbolizes '
Festa della Donna' would top this delicate and feminine-like cake. The softness of the spongecake, both the crust and the topping, the sweetness of the custard filling, and the lightness of the whipped cream truly make for a womanly dessert, doesn't it?
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Get The Recipe By Clicking
Here
Zabaione
Finally, there's Zabaione, a custard-like dessert that originated from the Piedmont region. It's basically a mixture of sugar, sweet wine (usually marsala), and beaten egg yolks for that soft yet thick consistency. It's also one of the oldest desserts Italy has had, having been served since the 15th century. Because of its popularity over the years, many have even used it as a topping for other desserts or even as a flavor for
gelato. But it tastes just as amazing on its own, especially when paired with fruits or soft biscuits.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Get The Recipe By Clicking
Here
Italian cuisine may reign supreme but there are probably some things that you don't know about it yet. Especially when it comes to desserts. Apart from the gelato and tiramisu, the country offers other sweets that will taste just as amazing, if not more!
Fortunately, many of these underrated Italian desserts are easy to make in your own
luxury home. Why not try making one yourself and see how it turns out?
