Some of Italy’s most famous sweets originate from Sicily: cannoli, ciambella cake (a citrusy breakfast bundt made with olive oil), and torrone (a nougat confection), to name a few. The island south of the mainland, just west of the boot’s toe in the Mediterranean, has a rich history with Arabic, Spanish, and Neapolitan influences, and as with many Italian pastries, Catholic nuns can take credit for creating the region’s most iconic sweets.

New York-based baker Renato Poliafito is celebrating Sicilian, Italian, and Italian-American sweets in his new cookbook, Dolci! American Baking with an Italian Accent. Poliafito grew up in Queens, with parents who had emigrated from Sicily to Brooklyn before he was born. After many summers spent visiting extended family in the tiny town of Adrano, near Catania, Sicily, he now returns to the island regularly, exploring its many nooks and crannies.