Cuccia - Sicilian Ricotta and Wheat Berry Dessert

What is cuccia?

Cuccia is a Sicilian pudding-like dessert made by combining cooked wheat berries with sweetened ricotta flavored with cinnamon, chocolate, candied orange and freshly grated orange zest. This is a refreshing, light dessert with beautifully balanced flavors!

The word cuccia, pronounced koo-chee-ah, is derived from the Sicilian cocciu, which means a grain of wheat.

This incredibly easy treat is a spoon dessert and may remind you of the filling used to make traditional pastiera (made with grano cotto, unlike my version with rice), but without the crust. Cuccia is enjoyed each year in Sicily, specifically in Siracusa and Palermo, on December 13th, in honor of St-Lucy.

Why is cuccia associated with St-Lucy's Day?

Santa Lucia, the patron saint of Siracusa, Sicily was a 4th century martyr. According to legend, during a time of great famine, the residents of Siracusa prayed for a miracle. On December 13th (the date of St-Lucy's martyrdom) boats carrying wheat berries appeared in the port.

As they were starving, it is said the people of Siracusa immediately cooked the grain, instead of grinding it into flour, thus ending this period of famine.

For this reason, the feast of Santa Lucia is celeberated by eating cuccia as well as arancini, avoiding anything made with flour such as bread or pasta.

Variations of cuccia

Some versions of cuccia combine cooked wheat berries with biancomangiare, the eggless milk custard that is popular in Sicily, instead of ricotta. It can be the traditional white version or chocolate biancomangiare variation.

The flavorings may vary: some versions add grated orange zest (as I did) while others omit it. Some add a variety of candied fruit while I stuck to candied orange peel which I made using this easy recipe. The beauty of this simple recipe is that you can vary it to suit your taste!

There is also a savory version of cuccia, simply boiled and seasoned with salt and olive oil. Legumes such as chickpeas or lentils may be added to the boiled wheat berries. Another recipe on my to do list!

Do the wheat berries for cuccia require soaking?

Interestingly enough, all of the Italian recipes I consulted specify the need to soak the wheat berries for up to 3 days prior to boiling them.

The instructions on the wheat berry package I purchased here in Canada do not require presoaking the grain. Simply rinse the wheat berries and boil them until tender, which took approximately 50 minutes.

I have not had the opportunity to cook with wheat berries in Sicily therefore I can only guess that the wheat berries available in Sicily are of a different variety that require soaking.

Cuccia Ingredient List

• Wheat berries: I used raw soft wheat berries which I rinsed and cooked until tender. Alternately you may purchase a 550 gram jar of cooked wheat berries usually found in Italian grocery stores known as grano cotto.
• Ricotta: preferably whole milk ricotta drained for about 2 hours to remove excess water. This recipe is traditionally prepared with sheep's milk ricotta in Sicily, which is difficult to find in North America. But if you happen to have access to this ricotta do give it a try!
• Candied orange peel: or a combination of candied fruit which can be purchased. I made my own candied orange with this easy recipe.
• Dark chocolate chips: may be left whole or roughly chopped.
• Powdered sugar: I prefer powdered sugar to granulated sugar to create a smooth ricotta cream without a grainy texture.

The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.

How to make Cuccia - Sicilian Ricotta and Wheat Berry Dessert

1. Place the ricotta in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to drain excess water.

2. Meanwhile, rinse the wheat berries place in a sauce pan and cover with plenty of water. Add salt, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until tender, about 50 minutes. Drain well and refrigerate until completely cooled.

3. Place the ricotta and sugar in a bowl and use a wooden spoon or whisk to combine the ingredients until creamy. Stir in cinnamon and orange zest.

4. Add the chocolate chips.

5. Add the cooled wheat berries and stir until all ingredients are well combined.

6. Spoon the ricotta mixture into individual serving bowls (I used 4) and garnish with candied orange, chopped pistachios (if desired) and extra chocolate chips. Refrigerate before serving for at least a couple of hours.

Recipe FAQs

More Sicilian ricotta desserts!