Iris (Sicily)

Iris is a traditional Sicilian fried dessert that’s particularly associated with the city of Palermo. The dessert consists of balls of yeasted dough that are stuffed with a mixture of ricotta cheese and sugar. The dough is usually prepared with a combination of flour, milk, sugar, eggs, yeast, and butter. Once stuffed, the balls are dipped in whisked eggs, then rolled in breadcrumbs and fried in hot oil until golden. There are also variations on iris that are stuffed with cream or Nutella. Iris was invented in 1901 by pastry chef Antonio Lo Verso, who named the fried dessert in honor of Pietro Mascagni’s eponymous opera.