Ricette di Sicilia
Cibo, cultura e tradizioni siciliane
Sicilian Almond Ricotta Shells (Ciarduna): A Sweet Crunch with a Heart of Cream
Discover ciarduna - delicate Sicilian pastry shells rolled in toasted almonds and filled with silky sweet ricotta.
🛒 Ingredients
▸ For the pastry shells
- ✓ 1 kg plain flour
- ✓ 200 g sugar
- ✓ 150 g lard
- ✓ 2 eggs
- ✓ 1 sachet baking powder
- ✓ 1 sachet vanilla powder
- ✓ 20 g baker’s ammonia
- ✓ Milk, as needed
▸ For the ricotta filling
- ✓ 1 kg sheep’s ricotta
- ✓ 300 g sugar
▸ For the sugar syrup
- ✓ 300 g sugar
- ✓ 150 ml water
▸ For finishing
- ✓ 400 g toasted chopped almonds
- ✓ Icing sugar
📊 Nutritional Information
Elegant, crisp and wonderfully traditional, ciarduna are one of western Sicily’s most charming pastries. These almond-crusted shells have long been served at family celebrations and festive tables across Palermo and Agrigento.
The contrast is irresistible: a golden, delicate pastry baked until crisp and rolled in toasted almond crumbs, filled at the very last moment with cool, velvety ricotta sweetened just so. It’s a dessert to make when you want to spoil your guests or bring something truly special to the table - a little masterpiece of Sicilian pastry-making.
👨🍳 Preparation
- 1
Drain the ricotta in the fridge for a few hours. Sieve it and mix with the sugar until smooth and creamy; set aside.
- 2
Prepare the pastry: on a work surface combine the sifted flour, sugar, diced lard, vanilla, eggs, baking powder and baker’s ammonia. Add a little milk if needed and knead until you have a smooth, compact dough.
- 3
Shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for about 1 hour.
- 4
Roll the dough to a thin sheet, roughly 3 mm thick, and cut into 10 cm rectangles.
- 5
Wrap each rectangle around a cannoli mould, sealing the edges with a touch of water.
- 6
Bake at 180°C for 15–20 minutes, until lightly golden. Allow the shells to cool completely, then gently remove the moulds.
- 7
Prepare the syrup by dissolving the sugar in the water and boiling for 2–3 minutes. Leave to cool.
- 8
Brush each shell with the syrup, then roll it in the toasted chopped almonds to coat fully.
- 9
Fill the shells with the ricotta cream and dust with icing sugar just before serving.
💡 Tips and Variations
Stir chocolate chips into the ricotta cream or add a hint of orange zest for a fragrant touch.
For a lighter version, use cow’s milk ricotta and reduce the sugar in the filling.
📦 Storage
- • Store filled pastries in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- • Keep empty shells in an airtight container for up to a week.
- • Fill shortly before serving to keep the shells crisp.
- • You can freeze baked shells (unfilled) for up to 1 month.
- • Dust with icing sugar only just before serving.
🍷 Pairing
Enjoy these Sicilian almond ricotta shells with a glass of Moscato di Pantelleria Liquoroso - golden, aromatic and perfect with the sweetness of the filling.
Ciarduna are a true jewel of Sicilian patisserie: a harmony of crisp texture, creamy ricotta and the rich aroma of toasted almonds. Take your time preparing them and you’ll bring to the table a dessert that tells the story - and the sweetness - of western Sicily.
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