Anyone who is Sicilian, especially from Syracuse, surely knows Santa Lucia’s cuccìa, made of cooked wheat, sheep ricotta, cinnamon, candied fruit, and sugar. In Sicily, it is prepared on December 13, the day of Santa Lucia, the protector of eyes, sight, and light. Legend tells that the people of Syracuse, during a time of famine, implored Santa Lucia, and the next day a ship loaded with wheat appeared in the city’s port. Thus, they consumed boiled wheat, without grinding it to make flour. Additionally, the legend tells that the ship’s captain had no intention of entering the port of Syracuse but was forced to do so due to the winds and currents. After anchoring, he was miraculously healed from an eye ailment that had afflicted him for a long time. Today, there are many versions of Santa Lucia’s cuccìa, like the chocolate one you can find here. In the following version, you will find the classic recipe without candied fruits, which we detest at home, but you can naturally add.