Saint Lucia's Eyes

I can provide you with the recipe for Saint Lucia’s Eyes, traditional sweets from Sicilian pastry making that are prepared for the feast of Saint Lucia.

Ingredients

• 500 g of 00 flour
• 150 g of sugar
• 150 g of butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 packet of baking powder
• The grated zest of 1 lemon
• A pinch of salt
• Apricot jam or other flavor of your choice

For decorating:

• Colored sugar sprinkles or sugar pearls

Preparation

1. To begin, arrange the flour in a mound on a work surface and add the sugar, softened butter cut into pieces, eggs, baking powder, grated lemon zest, and a pinch of salt to the center.

2. Knead all the ingredients well until you obtain a smooth dough. If necessary, add a little flour or water to achieve the desired consistency.

3. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, covered with plastic wrap.

4. After the resting time, roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of about half a centimeter.

5. Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut out circles from the rolled dough.

6. Take one circle of dough and place a teaspoon of jam in the center, then cover it with another circle. Make sure to seal the edges well by pressing with your fingers or the tines of a fork.

7. Make a small cut in the center of the second circle to reveal the jam and create the “eye.”

8. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush them with a little beaten egg to achieve a golden surface after baking.

9. Sprinkle the surface of the Saint Lucia’s Eyes with colored sugar sprinkles or sugar pearls.

10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Let them cool before serving.

Curiosities

Saint Lucia’s Eyes are typical of the city of Syracuse and are prepared on December 13, the day dedicated to the Saint, who is particularly venerated in this Sicilian city. Legend has it that Saint Lucia brought sweets to children during her martyrdom, and for this reason these sweets are made to remember her act of kindness.