As Aleteia readers probably know well, Sicily is the birthplace of many Catholic culinary traditions. From the “flying cookies” of Vicari to the “genovesi” of Erice, the island’s nunneries and monasteries have invented some of the most iconic Sicilian treats.
This Thanksgiving season, take a vicarious trip to the heartland of Sicily to find out about the centuries-old tradition of Sicilian pumpkin cookies, Muccunetti.
Muccunetti, literally meaning “little morsels” or “bites,” were first created in the 17th century by Benedectine nuns from the Convent of Saint Michael in the town of Mazara del Vallo, in Western Sicily.
Erected in 1678, the Convent hosted about a dozen cloistered nuns who spent their days between prayer and manual work, as per the Benedictine Rule. Pastry-making was a core aspect of monastic life in 17th-century Sicily. Monks and nuns had access to ingredients thanks to well-kept monastic orchards and they spent long hours in the communal convent kitchen, tinkering with ingredients and experimenting with new recipes. Monasteries usually sold their culinary inventions to cover their maintenance costs, so in the past, pastries worked as a sort of unofficial currency for anyone who wanted to provide material support to the Church.
At some point in their culinary experimentations, the Benedictine nuns of Mazara del Vallo decided to mix candied pumpkin, a typical sweet from Sicily known as “zuccata” made by coating local squash in lemon juice and sugar and cinnamon, with a “classic” cookie-batter made of almond flour, eggs, and sugar.
The end result, “muccunetti,” a type of chewy-cookie with a soft interior and a hard almond-based crust, are now one of Sicily’s most beloved treats.
Today, cloistered nuns of the Convent of Saint Michael in Mazara del Vallo still make muccunetti following the same recipe that was first created by their predecessors 300 years ago. But muccunetti have left a mark well beyond the convent’s doors. They now are a popular treat, made at home or found in bakeries around the island, especially during the weeks before Christmas.
To make muccunetti at home, you can follow the recipe below.
First, make the dry mixture. In a bowl, combine almond flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir until evenly blended. Separately, combine the egg whites and lemon zest. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until a sticky dough forms.
Add the chopped zuccata (pumpkin coated with cinnamon-sugar and lemon juice) and fold gently to distribute it throughout. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and shape into rough domes. Bake for 20–25 minutes at 325°F. Your 300-year-old Catholic treat is ready!
Ingredients: dry mixture
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Ingredients: wet mixture
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup zuccata, chopped
