ostie ripiene

Like many good things, the legend says these luscious filled wafers were invented by accident.

The story goes that, around 1600, nuns at the Monte Sant’Angelo’s convent of the Trinity of Santa Chiara were preparing the batter for the Hosts, the sacramental wafers used at Mass. At the same time they were preparing a rich honey and toasted almond cake ordered by a Knight who had bragged out his accomplishments to the monks and felt bad about it, so wanted to present them with something nice as an apology.

When one of the nuns spilled some of the honey and almonds, she had nothing at hand to picke it up except for a pair of the Holy Hosts. The almonds, honey, and wafers quickly fused into a single confection...now sold in all sizes. Many also add chocolate, cinnamon or orange peel. Families would make them for Christmas, each with their own stemp for the flour and water wafers.

They are also very popular in Abruzzo; in 1995, when Pope John Paul II visited Agnone he specifically asked to try one. And because they are consecrated there is no risk of sinning (in fact, in spite of the story, they may well have been invented to use up rejected wafers!)