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Ciao Bella Ciao Bella
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A Sicilian pastry on a plate
  • Eats & Drinks

Il Bacio di Pantelleria is the Tastiest Kiss in Sicily

Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | iHeartRadio

There is no place better for gastronomic adventuring than Sicily. In my years of loving and visiting that incredible island, I discovered Pantelleria, a tiny volcanic island is just 67 miles southwest of Sicily and 37 miles east of Tunisia. Known as the Perla Nera, the black pearl of the Black Pearl of the Mediterranean, Pantelleria exists on the very limits of Sicilianness as its very own being. And it’s here on this tiny black rock that I had the most unforgettable and amazing kiss of my life: il bacio di Pantelleria.

The bacio a delicious pastry that (when not cut in half) resembles an intricate wheel made of light dough and filled with sweetened ricotta. And though you may have seen it in restaurants, true bacio can only be found in Pantelleria, so sit back and get hungry. Sicilian journalist and food connoisseur Salvatore Spatafora joins me in a very sweet talk about Pantelleria and Sicily.

In this episode

[01:16] Intro to Sicily, Pantelleria, and our guest journalist Salvatore Spatafora

[07:07] Bacio Pantesco

[08:29] Pantelleria’s Passito

[11:04] Sicilian Culture

[16:48] Granite

Me, the kid and an almost-kiss at Spechio di Venere, a natural hot spring lake.

Avatar photo
Erica Firpo

Will travel for art and food. For more than two decades, Erica has been bringing you Italy. As the voice behind Ciao Bella and Ciao Bella podcast, she immerses herself in the stories of contemporary Dolce Vita. She is an ongoing contributor to AFAR, Conde Nast Traveler, Fathom, Forbes, Hotels Above Par, Travel + Leisure, Washington Post and more.

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About Ciao Bella

Ciao Bella celebrates contemporary Italy in a digital magazine and podcast. Consider Ciao Bella an infinite treasure chest revealing the bel paese’s most captivating people, events and sites, and the best in-the-know spots to sip, chat and chew.

About Erica Firpo

Erica Firpo is an experienced travel and lifestyle journalist, and podcaster based in Rome. Italian and American, Erica gets to the heart of culture in Ciao Bella and more. She’s authored over a dozen travel books including Fodor’s, Insight Guides and Lonely Planet.

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