Italian cuisine culture is contemporary but has very ancient roots. So, it is really difficult to discuss Italian desserts without considering the history that gave rise to these foods. Case in point, the minni ri Sant’Agata pastry. We make the “minni” available at the shop for several weeks leading up to the feast of Sant’Agata (and sometimes for a few weeks afterwards). It’s an individual serving sized pastry made with pasta frolla, Sicilian ricotta, chocolate chips topped with a white sugar glaze and an Amarena cherry. It’s delicious, and yes, it’s intentionally made in the shape of a woman’s breast. Sant’Agata’s story is well known among Italians. She was a 3rd century Christian who was martyred during a period of Roman persecution. Her martyrdom is characterized by the cutting off of her breasts. Sant’Agata’s primary shrine is in Catania, Sicily and her “festa” is among the three largest Catholic religious feasts in the world. Celebrations begin on February 3rd and culminate on the 5th. The feast is solemn, exuberant, emotionally moving, and colorful. The feast captures all of Sicilia’s conflicting emotions and wraps it up in one great feast. Yet the origins of this delicious pastry, which is at the center of the celebrations, may extend back to pre-Christian times. One Italian historian, Dr. Ciaceri, an expert on myths and festivals in ancient Sicily identified a connection between the feast of Sant’Agata in Catania, the minni pastry, and the cult of Isis (dispenser of milk to all humanity). He suggested that Sant’Agata is an early Church substitute for the figure of the Egyptian goddess, Isis because during her pagan celebrations, similarly shaped cakes were prepared for both votive offerings and consumption by adherents. As it turns out, during antiquity, Catania was in fact one of the major cult centers of Isis! As I wrote above, many foods we consume daily and associate with Italian culture, often have complex and intriguing back stories. Love the “minni” but I bet you will never look at it the same way again!

Chef Andrea