Alia is a small mountain town, perched on the western slopes of the Madonie mountain range, with a magnificent view that stretches from Mount Etna to the Aeolian islands. The ancient origins of this area tell the story of these slopes and the many different people and cultures that have inhabited it, starting with the Arabs. The name of its most extraordinary monument is certainly of Arab origin: the caves of Gurfa, rock structures carved into a majestic ridge of sandstone, which includes an impressive bell-shaped room, pierced by the light at the top (like the Pantheon in Rome) and other rooms connected by corridors, stairs, cisterns …
The population of Alia preserves the most diverse artisan knowledge: for the production of carpets, embroidery, lace, baskets, wrought iron objects and sweets. Among the latter, the most iconic sweet from the area is undoubtedly the scattata.
According to the local oral history, its recipe dates back to the early 1900s and it is traditionally prepared by women when there are celebrations and ceremonies in the town. It is obtained from four simple ingredients: almonds, grown in the local almond groves, peeled, chopped and toasted, soft wheat flour, sugar and then, optionally, cinnamon and lemon zest. The recipe calls for the ingredients to be mixed with a little bit of water until a fairly consistent mass is obtained, which must be left to rest for half an hour. After the mass has rested, with wet hands, balls the size of a walnut are formed which must then be rolled in hundreds and thousands (sprinkles). The balls are then placed on a baking tray which is placed in the oven at 160°C. While they are cooking, the small portion of dough expands, in dialect it is called “scatta”, giving an irregular shape to the sweets and thus making each scattata unique. Hence the name.
Today it is prepared mainly during the Christmas holidays, but it is possible to find it all year round in the local cafes, pastry shops and bakeries of Alia.
The Presidium aims to create a solid production chain around the desert which goes from the cultivation of the almonds and wheat to the processing and marketing of the finished product.
Production Area
Alia municipality, province of Palermo
Supported by
The Alia municipality
Panificio e Biscottificio di G. Minnuto e G. Randazzo
Via Alessandro Manzoni, 12
Alia - PA
Tel. +39 328 6581407
panificiominnutoerandazzo@gmail.com
Bar Centrale di Ezio Mancuso e Maria Antonietta Ognibene
Via Garibaldi, 30
Alia - PA
Tel. +39 389 1175023
ezio_mancuso@libero.it
Ma Pane ne Abbiamo
Di Damiano Genovese
Via Ugo Bassi, 19
Alia PA
Tel. +39 320 0464232
mapaneneabbiamo@gmail.com
Bar Perrone
Di Santina Tecla Perrone
Via Garibaldi, 6
Alia - PA
Tel. +39 329 8876445
Bar Belvedere
Di Emanuela Scaccia
Via Palermo, 113
Alia - PA
Tel. +39 389 5530932
Salvatoresparacello@gmail.com
Gaetano Siragusa
Tel. +39 329 5735738
gaetanosiragusa1993@libero.it
Presidium producers’ Coordinator
Marco Minnuto
Tel. 328 6581407
mminnuto29@gmail.com