Dolce Idea di Elena Caccamo

When you come to Modica you must stop in and try an impannatighe cookie. It looks like a half moon biscuit dusted with sugar. The name may be hard to pronounce… so I have included a photo so you can just point at it, when ordering. The name comes from empanadilla which is a Spanish word for a pastry that has a filling inside. The Spanish introduced chocolate to Modica from Mexico.
If you have the impannatighe in your hand, then take a bite and stop reading my review. Now when you bite in you will instantly say… yum I like chocolate… but here is the dirty little secret… there is minced beef inside of here too. I started eating these as a little kid and I just fell in love with them. It wasn’t until I got older that someone told me about the beef in here. I should have never told my wife because she can not eat them… which is a blessing for me because I do not have to share them with her.
Modica is my Dad’s hometown and I have been eating these pastries for as long as I can remember. My Dad told me a story that one person started making these pastries and all of the bakers in town tried copying it, until they got it right. When you come to Modica you will be able to find this pastry in almost every bakery or Gelato place. So you must try one for yourself because it is unique to the region. It is great to embrace the culture and traditions of the country you are visiting.