Cassatine Di Ricotta Recipes

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.

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.

CASSATA ALLA SICILIANA (SICILIAN CREAM TART)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• To Make Pan di Spagna (Sponge Cake): Have the following ingredients at room temperature for at least one hour before baking; 6 eggs, lemon juice, orange zest, and sherry.
• Separate 6 eggs and set the egg whites aside. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Beat in sugar, lemon juice, orange zest, and sherry or 1 teaspoon almond extract. Beat until foamy.
• Sift flour 3 times and fold into eggs yolks gently but thoroughly. Beat egg whites until foamy, add salt, and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold into yolks. Pour batter into one ungreased 9 inch spring form pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes. Test by pressing lightly with finger tip, if cake springs back at once it is done. Leave cake in pan to cool, and invert on a wire rack.
• Once cake is completely cool slice into 3 layers and sprinkle layers with rum.
• To Make Filling: Crush ricotta very finely with hands or a potato masher, add 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar and beat for about 3 minutes until creamy. Stir in 6 tablespoons rum, grated sweet chocolate, chopped candied cherries, cinnamon and toasted almonds.
• Spread ricotta filling over sponge cake layers, using half-inch of filling on each layer. Leave the top and sides of cake plain.
• To Make Frosting: Cream butter with 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar. Beat the 2 egg whites until stiff and gradually beat into the egg whites the remaining 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar. Fold egg whites into the butter mixture and add fold in 1 teaspoon almond extract.
• Cover sides and top cake evenly with frosting. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serves 10.