Discovering pantelleria kisses: Sicily's sweet delight

To say that Italian desserts are excellent is an understatement. Many of us are beginning to recognise the specific regions these sweets originate from, with Sicily leading the way. Pistachios often accompany treats from the Italian island. This primarily includes cannoli, filled pastry tubes, and almond cookies called paste di mandorla and brioche con gelato, meaning brioche with ice cream. Perhaps soon we'll also be hearing about Pantelleria kisses among them. These are fried in oil, similar to doughnuts or angel wings, making them perfect for carnival.

Pantelleria kisses are small, delightful cookies made from pancake batter with the addition of yeast, resulting in a risen and soft texture. They have a distinctive flower shape, which requires a specific mould. You can easily purchase it online. The cookies consist of two layers of cream based on ricotta cheese and chocolate. Ricotta cheese is often likened to our cottage cheese but boasts a creamy consistency and delicate taste.

Ingredients:

          
• 2 eggs,
• 175g flour,
• 120ml milk,
• 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast,
• oil for frying,
• icing sugar for sprinkling.

Filling:

    
• 250g ricotta cheese,
• 85g icing sugar,
• 2-3 tablespoons coarsely grated chocolate.

Preparation method:

              
1. Dissolve the yeast in warm milk, then add the eggs and mix with a whisk.
2. Next, add the flour and a pinch of salt, mixing everything again with a whisk. The batter should be quite thick. Set it aside for 5 minutes.
3. Heat the oil.
4. Scoop the prepared batter with a flower-shaped mould and place it in the heated oil. The "flower" must be golden on both sides.
5. Place the cooked cookies on a paper towel to drain the excess oil. Let them cool.
6. Mix the ricotta with icing sugar and chocolate pieces.
7. Apply the cream to the cookie. You can do this with a spoon or using a piping bag.
8. Dust the finished cookies with icing sugar.