Pasta reale di Erice
| Alternative names | Royal paste of Erice, Erice marzipan |
|---|---|
| Type | Confection |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Erice, Sicily |
| Main ingredients | Ground almonds, sugar |
| Similar dishes | Marzipan |
Pasta reale di Erice (Italian, literally "Royal Paste of Erice") is a traditional almond paste confection from Erice, Sicily, made from ground almonds and sugar. It is officially recognised as a Prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (P.A.T.) of Italy.[1]
History
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.[2][3]
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.[4]
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.[4]
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.[5] Examples include: [6][7]
- 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
- ^ "Schede PAT Sicilia 2023 – Pasta Reale di Erice" (PDF). Regione Siciliana. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
- ^ "La Mandorla di Avola". Emporio Sicilia. Emporio Sicilia. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ De Vincenzo, Salvatore (2015). "The fortification wall of Eryx: A new definition of the settlement's construction phases and topographic development in light of recent excavations." Analysis Archaeologica, vol. 1, pp. 103–116. link
- ^ a b "Chiesa e monastero di San Carlo in Erice". Trapani Nostra. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
- ^ Grammatico, Maria (1994). Bitter Almonds: Recollections and Recipes from a Sicilian Girlhood. Penguin. ISBN 0553814656.
- ^ "Prodotti della pasticceria ericina". La Pasticceria di Maria Grammatico. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
- ^ "Sicilia: Erice manda la pasta reale tesoro ereditato dalle monache". la Repubblica. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2025.