Ricci del Gattopardo are biscuits made famous by the novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa and still produced today, as they were in the past, in the convent of Palma di Montechiaro, a small village in the province of Agrigento in Sicily. The Benedictine nuns of the cloistered monastery of SS. Rosario still use the same ancient recipe from the time of the Prince of Salina, and sell them to visitors.
The book by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa reads "The monastery of Santo Spirito was subject to a strict rule of seclusion and entry was strictly forbidden to men. Precisely for this reason the Prince was particularly pleased to visit him, because for him, a direct descendant of the foundress, exclusion did not apply, and of this privilege, which he shared only with the King of Naples, he was jealous and childishly proud. (...) he liked the almonds that the nuns made according to centuries-old recipes.”
Today, the monastery still sells them for € 20 per kilo, but now they are also prepared by pastry shops everywhere, especially during Easter. Here is the original recipe for making them at home.
Biscotti Ricci del Gattopardo Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups almond flour, 2 cups sugar, 4 eggs, Grated lemon peel
Method
In a bowl, mix the almond flour, sugar, whole eggs and grated lemon rind. Mix with your hands, or with the help of a mixer, until you obtain a blended and consistent mixture. Pour the dough into a strong pastry bag with a star-shaped nozzle at least 2 cm. wide, or use an extruded cookie shape. Make 8 cm dough pieces and leave space between them. Sprinkle with caster sugar and bake at 400° for at least 10 minutes until golden-brown. The biscuits can then be stored in a tin box for weeks in a cool, dry place.