On December 13th, Santa Lucia is celebrated, and as tradition dictates, cuccìa is consumed here in Sicily. Today I want to give you the version of Cuccia with milk cream, but first I want to tell you the origin of this tradition. This custom dates back many years when the city of Syracuse was struck by a great famine, and the people were hungry. Desperation was so high that people turned to the saint, asking her to act to feed the Syracusans. That’s when a ship loaded with wheat arrived in the city, and the miracle was attributed to Lucia. However, grinding the cereal required time, then it was also necessary to knead the bread and wait for it to rise first and then bake. Hunger was great, and time was long. So, it was decided to cook the grain immediately and consume it seasoned only with a little salt. In memory of that famine, the tradition of consuming cuccìa was born to remember the miracle that occurred and not to eat neither bread nor pasta. Over the years, what was once a poor dish has turned into a more elaborate food: to the simple cooked wheat were added blancmange, chocolate, and candied fruit, transforming the dish into a spoon dessert, while rice, consumed plain and seasoned with a drizzle of oil, gave way to the more elaborate arancini. But do you know why it’s called cuccìa? Well, the term derives from “cocciu”, which in Sicilian dialect means grain.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 5 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 454.80 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 92.62 (g) of which sugars 46.13 (g)
- Proteins 10.36 (g)
- Fat 7.60 (g) of which saturated 3.53 (g)of which unsaturated 2.17 (g)
- Fibers 0.97 (g)
- Sodium 258.96 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Cuccia with Milk Cream
- 7 oz wheat (raw or 21 oz cooked wheat)
- 4 cups milk
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 cup cornstarch
- to taste orange zest (or lemon zest)
- 2 oz chocolate chips
- 6 candied cherries
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
Tools Needed for Cuccia with Milk Cream
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Small Pot
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Bowl
- 8 Small Bowls
- 1 Wooden Spoon
Preparation of Cuccia with Milk Cream
To prepare the Cuccia, the first step is to cook the wheat.
Place the cereal in a colander and rinse well under running water. Take a large bowl and pour the wheat into it.
Add enough lukewarm water to cover the surface of the wheat by at least three fingers and let it sit overnight.
The next day, the rice will have absorbed all the water and will also have become more tender. At this point, proceed with cooking.
Place it in a pot, add more water, and salt. Let it cook over moderate heat until the rice is cooked. Turn off the heat and drain it well.
Now, prepare the milk cream. Dissolve the cornstarch in a little milk taken from the total indicated among the ingredients.
In a saucepan, place the remaining milk and sugar and bring almost to a boil.
Add the starch and mix quickly until the cream reaches the right thickness.
At this point, add the well-drained wheat, grated orange zest, and a bit of cinnamon if desired, and mix well.
Divide the cuccìa into single-serving bowls and, before it cools completely, add chocolate chips on the surface.
Finish by adding candied cherries. The cuccìa should be consumed after resting for at least half a day in the refrigerator.
Happy Santa Lucia Day!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use precooked wheat?
Yes, you can. For the quantities, consider that cooked wheat weighs 3 times its raw weight.
