Can you believe that an independent Sicily would rank seventh in the world for wine production? And Sicilians really love their desserts. The best-known Sicilian dessert wine is Marsala. This was once considered a great sweet wine and if you’re careful you may find a good one. Avoid Marsala cooking wines like the plague, even for cooking. Remember, in Sicily and elsewhere, most dessert wines are sold in half-liter bottles.

Cannoli con Ricotta (Ricotta-stuffed Rolls) are made from flour, cocoa, chocolate, white wine, candied fruit, ricotta cheese, and some other ingredients. They are not all that easy to make but this is one dessert that you can find at many Italian bakeries. Recommended wine pairings include Malvasia di Bosa DOC made in Sardinia and the Sicilian Moscato di Pantelleria DOC which when made from dried grapes is known as Moscato Passito di Pantelleria DOC. This wine is always sweet. You’ll probably have more luck finding the Moscato.

Cassata alla Siciliana (Sicilian Cassata) is a cake, not to be confused with an ice-cream treat of the same name. It starts with a sponge cake and has lots and lots of ingredients including chocolate, chestnut flour, and ricotta cheese. After it’s baked you add apricot jelly, candied fruit, and more. Recommended wine pairings include the Sicilian Malvasia delle Lipari DOC which may be made in the Passito style, the Sicilian Moscato di Siracusa DOC, or the Moscato di Trani DOC from Apulia. You may have trouble finding these wines and substitute a sweet Italian Moscato.

Cotognata (Quince Preserve) is a traditional Sicilian dessert, often made in the shape of a leaf or a fish. Don’t forget to add lemon and sugar. Recommended wine pairings include Moscato di Pantelleria DOC, Moscato di Siracusa DOC, and Moscato di Trani DOC.

Panzerotti ai due Formaggi (Cheese Panzerotti) are honey-coated pastry half moons whose secret is two special Italian cheeses, grated Pecorino Siciliano and a smaller amount of cubed Cacioavallo Silano. It also calls for flour, butter, orange and lemon rinds, and olive oil. Serve them hot with one of the above wines or a Sicilian Moscato di Noto DOC. You might look for the Planeta name on the label.

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Emilia-Romagna stretches from the Ligurian border in northeastern Italy to the Adriatic Sea. It’s quite prosperous and is known as the gourmet capital of Italy. On the other hand, it’s not known for wine. Two of its biggest stars are a cheese, Parmigiano Regianno, and a ham, Prosciutto di Parma. Parmesan cheese as it’s known in English, was mentioned by the famous Italian author of the Fourteenth Century, Giovanni Boccaccio. The region’s biggest dud is a lunch meat named for its administrative center, Bologna.

One great starter is Prosciutto con Melone (Ham with Melon), especially if based on real Parma ham. Enjoy this dish with a sparkling Prosecco DOC from the neighboring region of Veneto, or a Riesling, Pinot Grigio, or Gewurtztraminer, all Italian, of course. Red wine pairings are also available.

An excellent way to showcase the region’s outstanding cheese is Asparagi alla Parmigiana (Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese) traditionally served with melted butter. Recommended wine pairings include Riesling, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc, once again from Italy.

Vegetarians and others will relish Frizon con Salsiccia (Vegetable Sauté) for which the recommended wine is the local Albana di Romagna DOCG. You’ll get a chance to see if this wine merits its top of the line designation, the only such wine in this gourmet region. Now if you’re not a vegetarian you can add sausages to this dish but then the wine pairing will depend on the specific sausage. You’ll probably want to go red.

Do you like chicken? Try a Pollo Parmigiana (Chicken Parmesan). There are as many recipes as cooks in Emilia-Romagna but you won’t go wrong with an Italian Chardonnay.

Many people prefer capon to chicken. An excellent local specialty is Cappone Ripeno (Roast Capon) whose stuffing includes veal, ham, and Marsala wine. You’ll enjoy it with an Italian Riesling.

Let’s not forget dessert. Try Ciambella Bolognese ( Almond Cake) traditionally made in a mold. Enjoy this with a sweet wine such as Malvasia di Cagliari DOC from Sardinia, Vino Santo del Chianti DOC, or Vino Santo del Chianti Classico DOC from Tuscany. Don’t get confused by the word Chianti, these wines are all made from white grapes as you may guess from their golden color.