A sweet pastry shell, with a tasty surprise filling and a glazed biscuit, a triumph of almonds: Pasticciotti di Carne and Cardinali a Patti are two typical sweets of the local tradition, whose recipes have been handed down from generation to generation in the province of Messina.
Pastries with a tasty flavour, meat pies are an original exclusive of Pattese cuisine, suitable for any occasion, but difficult to find elsewhere in Italy; the Cardinals, who almost always accompany them to the table, are, by tradition, i Christmas cookiessweet gift that lovers exchange under the tree.
Between history and tradition, the flavors of Sicilian cuisine never cease to surprise and give those who taste them moments of appetizing flavor, all to be discovered.
Pasticciotti and Cardinali: eating begins with the eyes
Pasticciotti and Cardinali a Patti, are typical sweets that are often served at the table together and at first glance they may seem very similar; what makes them unique, however, is certainly their flavor and looking at them better, you will notice all the particular differences, which make us want to taste both one and the other, without knowing which one to choose.
Pasticciotti di Carne have a rounded shell in soft shortcrust pastry, covered on the surface with an abundance of icing sugar and with a red sugar crystal in the centre; hidden inside, is the special stuffed with meat with chopped almonds, which reveals itself at the first bite, seducing the taste buds and transforming the pasticciotto into a delicious two-tone morsel.
The Cardinali, with an oval or rectangular shape, are glazed sweets: the surface of each biscuit is covered with a creamy flow of icing sugar, on which at least three parallel lines of crystallized red sugar are drawn.
The biscuit, a tasty marzipan compound covered with toasted almonds, releases all its fragrance right from the first bite.
During the Christmas period, in Patti, the Cardinals change shape and become stars or hearts with colored icing, which the engaged couple exchange as a gift and a sign of love.
Dolci Pattesi, a story to discover
Pasticciotti and Cardinali a Patti are a sweet tradition with ancient origins and the recipes for preparing them are handed down in local kitchens from generation to generation. But before finding out what are the ingredients that bring these delicious desserts to Sicilian tables year after year, here is their story revealed.
For centuries in Patti, the Cloistered monastery of Santa Chiara had welcomed young women of the country and the Poor Clare nuns who lived there, had taught them to prepare Pasticciotti di Carne and Cardinali, so that the young girls, once at home, could continue to bake these delicious delicacies for their families; in this way, since the fifteenth century, a tradition had begun which also survived the closure of the monastery in 1895 and then spread throughout the country.
The fortune of the Pasticciotti and the Cardinals of Patti, however, is also linked to the history of Galante coffee, pastry shop founded by the foreigner Giuseppe Galante in 1901, after marrying one of the young girls of the town: Giovanna Manfre, delivering the recipe for Pasticciotti di Carne e dei Cardinali to her husband, decreed its great success with the public in the XNUMXs, which has come down to our times.
The recipes for Pasticciotti di Carne and Cardinali di Patti can be found in “Fra Filici's Almanac '85”; the main ingredients are flour, eggs, sugar, lard, lean meat and, of course, almonds. Each recipe has its secrets and to taste the original Pasticciotti di Carne and the Cardinali di Patti, the best solution is to go directly to the place.
In Patti in Sicily: ideas for a gastronomic holiday
Pasticciotti di Carne e Cardinali, Almond Pasta, Hazelnut Spummette, but also Orange Salad, Fried Olives, Stuffed Chicken or Octopus Salad: Sicilian cuisine as a destination, the main destination of a tour along the Tyrrhenian coast, which will allow you to taste all the typical traditional dishes, as well as show you the beauties of the place.
A holiday in search of the traditional flavors of Sicily will take you to Patti, in the Metropolitan City of Messina: here you will find the unique and surprising meat-filled dessert, the Cardinals and many other specialties such as cold cuts and cheeses, prepared with 0 km ingredients .
Naturally, Patti in Sicily also offers you all the beauties of an ancient village, built in the XNUMXth century by will of the Count Ruggero I, who founded the Monastery of the SS. Savior; do not miss the opportunity to also visit the Monastery of Santa Chiara, which today bears the name of Monastery of the Holy Family and the other churches in the country, such as the Basilica of San Bartolomeo; those who love ancient architecture, leaving the country will find the Roman Villa of Patti and just 12 km away you can reach the beautiful Tindari, where to visit the Archaeological Area.
To link the stages of this fascinating tour in Sicily, as a common thread there is gastronomy: between one destination and another, in Patti you can relax Galante coffee, the ancient pastry shop which, in addition to preserving the original recipe for Pasticciotti di Carne and dei Cardinali, also maintains the original furnishings of the time; in Tindari, on the other hand, you can enjoy excellent fish dishes.
All this, enclosed in the splendid setting of the Gulf of Patti, awaits you on your Sicilian holiday to discover the flavors of the island.
How to get to Patti, directions to find the taste
Ready to taste the flavor of Pasticciotti di Carne and Cardinali a Patti?
The municipality, populated by about 12.000 inhabitants, is just over 60 km from the Strait of Messina.
To get to the town, visitors in search of taste can travel by car along the A20 Palermo-Messina motorway and take the exit for Patti; those who prefer to travel by train can get off at the local Patti station, on the Messina-Palermo railway line.
