This flock of Favara-style Easter lambs was made by our Stirring Sicily cooking and wine tour group in September 2016 with chef Nino Elia and Zest of Lititz, Penn. under the direction of Annalisa Pompeo of GoSicily. In Sicily, the lamb is one of the most prominent symbols of Easter. The edible art is made from marzipan (sweetened almond paste) and inside, naturally salty pistachio paste. The basic form of the lamb is created using a mold. Then, as you can see here, we decorated the pastry according to our personal inspirations. Each lamb possesses a red flag, a symbol of victory over death and an important component of the “agnello Pasquale” decoration.

In Christianity, the lamb symbolizes purity and sacrifice–two qualities associated with Jesus Christ. The citizens of Favara, Sicily (near Agrigento), where Annalisa grew up, are renowned for the tradition of creating beautifully decorated marzipan lambs for Easter.

If visiting nearby Agrigento, you may want to include a visit to Marzipan: The Museum of Sicilian Almonds in Favara’s historic center, to learn more about this tradition and the cultivation of almonds in Sicily.