Sicily is mostly responsible for the introduction of almonds into general Italian cuisine. Its location has encouraged contact with a variety of ethnic groups who made their presence known in the Mediterranean. Ancient and early Medieval Sicilians traded and otherwise interacted with neighboring Levant cultures to whose lands the almond was indigenous. Later, power in Sicily was taken by the Arabs or "Saracens"; their dominating presence from the 9th to the 11th centuries A.D. helped to diffuse many Arabic cultural and culinary concepts throughout the region.
Almonds became a favored component in Italian food and drink as Arab-Sicilian influence spread over the peninsular mainland, inspiring innovations. The concept reached all the way to the north of Italy, including the region of Lombardy, in which a municipality named Saronno would become famous for its almond-infused liqueur. In many regions, particularly these northernmost ones, distinct local varieties of amaretto biscotti developed. Amaretti di Sassello, unique to Liguria, are very soft and moist, like marzipan. Amaretti di Saronno, at the other end of the spectrum with a crunchy, crisp texture, became associated with the liqueur of the same town and therefore the most prominent style. |
