Minni di VerginiDISH ALSO FOR VEGETERIANS

The Minni di Vergini (Virgin’s breasts), typical pastry of the village Sambuca di Sicilia, was inserted by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies among the Traditional Agroindustrial Products. This sweet was created in 1725 by the nun Suor Virginia Casale from Rocca Menna, of the Collegio di Maria di Sambuca, on the occasion of the marriage between the Marquis Don Pietro Beccadelli and Donna Maria Gravina. The particular shape of the Minni was inspired by the surrounding hills of the Anguillara valley and its filling should have followed the sweetness of the territory. It is a rustic pastry but it’s really exquisite, it nourishes the feelings and elevates the spirit. The name comes from the very same nun, Virginia della Menna, but it could also derive from Sicilian traditions related to feminine cults that pre-existed already in the whole Sicilia.

The Minni di Vergini is an exquisite baked sweet in the shape of a breast with a darker protuberance at the top and it is made of shortcut pastry, heavy cream, zuccata (candied pumpkin), chocolate chips and cinnamon.

Before starting to cook, we wanted to remind you that in May, during the celebrations for Maria Santissima dell’Udienza, patron saint of Sambuca di Sicilia, there will be the Minni di Vergini Festival in the village, a feast rich in events, shows, initiatives and sweets.

Now, let’s do the shopping and let’s start foretasting the Minni di Vergini.

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • Egg 1
  • Flour 400gr
  • Granulated sugar 150gr
  • Lard 150gr
  • Milk
  • Vanilla

For the filling:

  • Heavy cream 500 gr
  • Zuccata, chocolate chips
  • Cinnamon

For the icing:

  • Powdered sugar
  • Lemon juice
  • Water

For the decoration

  • Sprinkles

Method

Sift the flour and mix it with the lard, then make a hollow and add the sugar, the egg, vanilla and the necessary milk.

You should have a consistent and homogenous mixture that you will wrap with film, resting it for about two hours in the refrigerator. Later, roll out the dough in sheets of 5mm thickness and make some disks of 10 cm wide; put the dough into the cutters with a cup shape and fill them with heavy cream, which was previously seasoned with cinnamon and chocolate chips, while on the top you will put the zuccata mixed with the chocolate chips. Put the disk, that was previously prepared, on top of the other and seal the edges; then, after having shaped them into a breast, you will have to put them in a baking tray.

Brush them with a beaten egg white and put them in the oven at 200 °C for about 20 minutes.
Melt the powdered sugar with the lemon juice and a little bit of water; with a whisk mix the mixture until you will have a smooth and quite thick cream. Brush the pastries, already cooled down, with the icing and decorate them with the sprinkles. Let them dry before serving.

Photo in the article Wikipedia

…enjoy!