amaretti

The name literally means 'little bitter things', from the slightly bitter taste of the almonds. The Arabs invented them in Sicily; now they are made all over Italy.

Probably the most famous amaretti come from the town of Saronno in Lombardy (which also makes two kinds of amaretto). The story tells how a young couple of Saronno invented amaretti out of sugar, egg whites and sweet and bitter almonds (or apricot kernels, armelline) when the bishop of Milan paid the town a surprise visit.

Equally reputed are the soft chewy amaretti di Sassello in Liguria.

They are eaten as they are, or crushed into desserts such as pesche ripiene (stuffed peaches) and bonet or in the unusual fritto misto alla Piemontese.