Maria Oliveri is a historian and Sicilian food culture expert from Palermo, who has dedicated her life to studying gastronomy, particularly the culinary traditions that emerged from Sicilian convents during the 18th and 19th centuries. For centuries, Sicilians have frequented monasteries such as the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, established in 1299 in Agrigento, and the Benedictine convent of Palma di Montechiaro during festive occasions. At these locations, they would patiently wait to purchase trays of freshly baked cannoli, cassatelle, or nucatili—hard cookies filled with nuts and cinnamon. In recent years, numerous monasteries have ceased operations. It is estimated that there were approximately 21 pastry-making convents in Palermo during the 18th century, yet only a few remain today. As cloistered nuns gradually faded from Sicilian life, the centuries-old recipes they created were at risk of being lost. However, the enduring affection Sicilians hold for these pastries, invented by nuns, contributes to preserving this long-standing tradition.
Oliveri actively sought out the relatives and descendants of the Palermo nuns to gather anecdotes and insights and access ancient private recipe books. This research culminated in her book *The Secrets of the Cloister. *
In her studies, she discovered that dishes like lasagna and pappardelle were often seasoned with milk and sugar, highlighting the social differences of the time. Sugar, a luxury item, was commonly found in monasteries, so desserts were much sweeter than they are today. Oliveri emphasizes, "When discussing cuisine, we must always consider the historical context. It's evident that a cassata made 200 years ago would have tasted different than it does today: the eggs were larger, Mallorca flour was used, and the ingredients had different flavours.
In 2014, the last remaining cloistered nun of the Santa Caterina monastery departed from Palermo. In 2019, a group of local entrepreneurs revitalised the historic kitchen utilised at the convent for centuries. The bakery, known as “The Secrets of the Cloister,” operates daily from 10 AM to 6 PM and functions more as a laboratory than a conventional pastry shop. Here, pastry chefs conduct open lessons on the creation of specific pastries and explain the origins of traditional recipes.
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