Sicilian Cassatelle With Ricotta Food

SICILIAN CASSATELLE WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Mix flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter. Using your fingers, crumble the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a course meal.
• Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the Marsala, eggs and orange zest. Beat the eggs with a fork gradually incorporating the flour to make a dough. Turn the dough onto counter and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth. If the dough is dry, add a tbsp of water at a time, just enough for the dough to come together.
• Flatten into a disc, wrap in a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a bowl combine the ricotta, sugar and cinnamon and stir until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut the refrigerated dough into 4 pieces. Using a pasta roller, roll the dough until the second to last setting. Alternately, use a rolling pin to roll the dough until very thin, about 2 mm.
• Using a 12 cm cookie cutter, cut circles of dough. Keep covered until ready to fill to prevent from drying. Place about 2 heaping teaspoonfuls of filling in the bottom third of each circle of dough. Fold over the edges to form a half moon shape and use the tines of a fork to seal the edges well.
• Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Continue with the remaining dough. Brush each cassatelle with the egg yolk/milk mixture.
• Bake for 20 minutes until golden in colour and lightly browned underneath. Let cool before dusting with powdered sugar.

SICILIAN CASSATA: RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• Place the ricotta into a fine mesh sieve and nestle this over a bowl, place into the refrigerator overnight to allow the excess moisture to drain out before proceeding with the cassata recipe.
• Place the ricotta into the bowl of a mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until the curds smooth out. Mix the drained and beaten ricotta with 1 cup powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, chocolate chips and half the candied fruit. Set aside.
• Lightly oil a 10-inch springform pan with canola oil. Slice the sponge cake very thinly so that the springform may be lined with it in an even layer. Line the sides and bottom of the pan with the sponge cake. Pour the ricotta filling into the cake-lined pan. Place a final layer of cake over the ricotta filling; this now creates the bottom to the cassata. Before serving, the cassata will be inverted onto this cake bottom. Refrigerate the cassata overnight to firm the filling.
• Invert the springform pan on a wide platter. Open the hinge and remove the springform sides and bottom.
• The cassata may now be finished by either covering with a heavy coating of the remaining powdered sugar or may be coated with a thin layer of green marzipan. Either way, the remaining candied fruits should be used to decorate the finished cassata. Slice thinly and serve.

CASSATINE DI RICOTTA

Steps:

• To make the pasta frolla, or shortcrust pastry: Sift the flour in a bowl. Add the egg yolks, sugar and salt. Stir with a fork. Cut the butter into six or eight pieces and add to the flour. Add two tablespoons of ice water and mix together quickly, using a wooden spoon or your hands, but be careful not to ''cook'' the pastry. Add more water if it seems necessary. When all the ingredients are well-blended, form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• When ready to cook, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the almonds in the oven until they are light brown. Set aside to cool and raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
• Meanwhile, place the rum and the raisins in a small saucepan. Add water to just cover the raisins. Bring to a boil over high heat and set aside for a few minutes to plump the raisins.
• Beat the ricotta in a bowl until it is light and fluffy. Separate the eggs, and add the yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the sugar and beat well. Then fold in the almonds and the drained raisins.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture.
• Roll out the pasta frolla as thinly as possible (between two sheets of aluminum foil or wax paper to prevent the pastry from sticking). Butter 12 individual three-inch tart tins or two 9-inch tins (for the larger pies, springform pans or pans with removable bottoms are the easiest to unmold). Line the tins with the rolled-out pastry. Add the ricotta mixture, filling the pastry cases to just below the top of the pastry. Place on a cookie sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the insides are firm. The pies may be served lukewarm or cold.