Zunca is a traditional dessert from the Ligurian inland, creamy, fragrant, and delicate, made with ricotta and anise.

It is a dessert that dates back to ancient times when people fed themselves with only what the land and animals provided. In times when homemade cheese production was essential in the countryside.

Ricotta was a way to use leftover whey, with little effort and no waste. Anise was an easily available spice, also used for medicinal or digestive purposes.

The simplicity of just 3 ingredients reflects the rural economy: no eggs, no added fats, no flours, just what was available, but made well.

I tasted it for the first time at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Acquasanta in Montalto Liguria during the commemoration of the massacre on August 17, 1944 during World War II, when a priest and an altar boy were murdered by the Germans.

The sanctuary was founded in 1453. It was founded due to an apparition of the Virgin to an old invalid, who was healed thanks to a spring of water that miraculously emerged at the feet of the Virgin.

Inside the sanctuary, you can still admire the well made of local stone, dated 1486, where water is drawn all year round, and the marble statue of the Madonna. It is a truly evocative place, surrounded by greenery and away from homes and buildings.

This recipe has always been made by feel, as there are no exact measurements. I adapted it as closely as possible to how I tasted it, but everyone can adjust the sugar and anise to their own taste.

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