Sweet treats of “Gattopardo” born in Santa Margherita Belice, a blend of nobility and modern flavors.

Last Updated: August 29, 2023

A Santa Margerita Belice nascono i dolci del Gattopardo, tra nobiltà e gusti moderni

In the masterpiece “The Leopard” by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, the author provides a detailed description of the cuisine of Sicilian nobility at the time, including the famous timballo and the sophisticated “Triumph of the Throat,” an indispensable dessert for the aristocracy. The final evening of the 18th edition of the International Literary Prize “Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa” was dedicated to the cuisine of the novel, and master pastry chef Nicola Fiasconaro was the star of the event. Fiasconaro received a special award as the “Excellence of Sicilian Gastronomy in the World” and presented his own reinterpretation of the “Triumph of the Throat” dessert. He reduced the sugar content and balanced the fats to adapt the traditional recipe to modern taste and nutritional needs. Fiasconaro, along with his son and local pastry chefs, also created a 150 kg cassata. Their version of the dessert, named “Il Gattopardo,” remained faithful to the original flavors, alternating layers of ricotta cream, sponge cake, marzipan, jam, and biancomangiare. The goal is to export this revised version of the dessert, as well as other typical sweets from Sicilian convent tradition, to foreign markets, celebrating Sicilian culture and history. They are working on creating guidelines to regulate the international branding of “The Leopard’s Desserts.”