Chocolate and apricot dove at Ciro Poppella's

To get to know Ciro Poppella is to learn first-hand from his voice, always broken by emotion, the story of a human and professional elevation that preserves imponderable ingredients. His pastry shop in the heart of Rione Sanità, in fact, was born from the hard work and courage of a young boy who, while his father sold his spiced taralli practically on the street, dreamed of becoming a master in the art of confectionery. After a very long apprenticeship, Poppella invented the snowflake, a soft nugget containing fresh cream, which made him known and loved throughout the city, not least because of the popular prices of this delicacy. These are the days dedicated, however, to the Easter dove, which here is served filled with apricots from Campania and chocolate, as well as in the classic version with candied fruit and almonds. As well as providing work for many people in his district, Poppella has contributed to the popularisation of Sanità and its gentrification: Ciro's sweets are to be enjoyed in the street, among the district's totemic trees and the colourful stalls of the fruit vendors.