Author: Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

I have been around for a while, always enjoying food, cooking, eating, researching traditional recipes and playing around with what I have learned and know about cooking, especially Italian cuisine. My heritage is Sicilian but my parents and I lived in Trieste (northern Italy, above Venice). The cuisine in Trieste is very different from that of Sicily. The cuisine of Australia is pretty different to that of Italy and I think that my cultural experiences have given me a good foundation in the kitchen!

EGG PAPPARDELLE WITH FRESH, BROWN MUSHROOMS

Egg pappardelle with fresh, brown mushrooms, garlic and aromatic herbs is a simple, satisfying pasta dish that I am always happy to eat.

The earthy flavour of mushrooms, enhanced by rosemary, thyme and a splash of white wine, makes a delicious sauce for the broad ribbons of egg pasta.

I am writing this post for two reasons. Firstly, after nearly six weeks of being unable to access my blog, All Things Sicilian and More, I am keen to discover whether everything is finally working as it should. What better way to test it than by publishing a new recipe?

Secondly, I recently prepared this dish in a holiday house in Victor Habor  (close to Adelaide), in someone else’s kitchen, with unfamiliar equipment and a frying pan that was considerably smaller than I would have liked.This was only because of the large amounts of mushrooms I insisted on.

Fortunately, a good pasta dish doesn’t require elaborate equipment, just excellent ingredients and a little ingenuity.

Beautiful, fresh, brown, large mushrooms were the inspiration for this pasta dish.
Excellent Quality Fresh Mushrooms Were the Inspiration

There were four of us for a quick Sunday lunch, but the large, brown mushrooms were so fresh, large and beautiful that I couldn’t resist buying well over a kilogram.

Mushrooms are particularly good with egg pasta. Their earthy, savoury flavour complements the richness of the eggs, while the broad ribbons of pappardelle provide plenty of surface area for the sauce to cling to.

I kept the other ingredients simple: garlic, a small onion, fresh rosemary and thyme, some parsley, a little dry white wine, salt, freshly ground black pepper and, of course, extra virgin olive oil.

I added a couple of tablespoons of butter towards the end of cooking, this enhanced the flavours of the mushrooms, herbs, wine and olive oil and made the sauce more viscous.

Cooking Plenty of Mushrooms in a Small Frying Pan

The greatest challenge was accommodating such a generous quantity of mushrooms in a frying pan that was clearly too small for the job. But there was a lid.

Mushrooms contain a considerable amount of water and reduce substantially in volume as they cook. The solution was to add them gradually, allowing each addition to soften and reduce before adding more. I used a lid at times to provide more steam and quicken the process.

More than a kilogram of mushrooms, sliced and ready for the frying pan. This can be viewed as being excessive for 4 people, however, I was excited by the quality of the mushrooms.

It required a little patience, but it worked beautifully.

The mushrooms released their juices, the garlic and herbs added fragrance, and the white wine reduction and addition of the butter brought everything together.

Once tossed with the freshly cooked egg pappardelle, the result was a delicious,  an uncomplicated pasta dish.

Sometimes the simplest meals, particularly those prepared without the comforts of your own kitchen, turn out to be among the most enjoyable.

RECIPE: Egg Pappardelle with Fresh Brown Mushrooms

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25–30 minutes

Ingredients
  • 400–500 g dried egg pappardelle, or approximately 600 g fresh egg pappardelle
  • 1–1.2 kg fresh brown mushrooms (or field mushrooms)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or sliced
  • 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 small sprig fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup of chopped parsley (or more)
  • 100 ml dry white wine
  • 4–5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbs of butter
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Reserved pasta cooking water, if needed (my sauce had enough moisture)
Method

1. Prepare the mushrooms

Gently brush or wipe the mushrooms to remove any soil. Trim the stems if necessary and slice the mushrooms fairly thickly. Larger mushrooms can be cut into generous pieces so they retain some texture during cooking.

2. Sauté the onion and garlic

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Add the finely chopped onion and cook gently until softened and translucent.

Add the garlic, stirring for another minute until fragrant. Take care not to brown the garlic.

Adding the mushrooms gradually allowed me to cook a generous quantity in a surprisingly small frying pan.

3. Cook the mushrooms

Add the mushrooms gradually, beginning with a few generous handfuls.

Allow them to soften and reduce before adding more. Cover with a lid occasionally and add rosemary and thyme.  Stir now and then to encourage even cooking.

As the mushrooms release their moisture, they will shrink considerably, making room for the remaining mushrooms.

Continue cooking until all the mushrooms have been added and most of their liquid has evaporated.

4. Add the white wine

Pour in the white wine and allow it to simmer until the alcohol has evaporated and the liquid has reduced.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

 Add butter. The finished mushrooms should be moist and glossy, with a little concentrated cooking liquid remaining to coat the pasta.

5. Cook the pappardelle

Bring a large saucepan of generously salted water to the boil.

Add the egg pappardelle and cook until al dente, following the recommended cooking time for fresh or dried pasta. Our pasta was 7 mins.

Before draining, reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water just in case you need it. I didn’t

6. Combine the cooked pappardelle and mushrooms

Add the drained pappardelle to the mushrooms and toss gently.

If you need to do this Add a little reserved pasta cooking water, a tablespoon or two at a time, to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta.

Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper.

Broad ribbons of egg pappardelle are ideal for carrying the rich, savoury mushroom sauce.

7. Serve immediately

Divide the pappardelle and mushrooms between four warm plates, ensuring everyone receives a generous portion of mushrooms.

This is a dish best enjoyed immediately, while the pasta is hot and the fragrance of the mushrooms and herbs is at its best.

Remove the stalks before mixing the mushrooms with the pasta.
A Few Cooking Notes

Choosing mushrooms: Brown mushrooms have a deeper, earthier flavour than ordinary white button mushrooms. Large, mature specimens are particularly suitable for this dish.

Avoiding overcrowding: Ideally, mushrooms are sautéed in a wide pan to encourage evaporation and browning. However, as my experience demonstrated, adding them gradually also works when equipment is limited. The mushrooms will initially steam in their own juices, but continued cooking will concentrate their flavour.

Using fresh herbs: Rosemary has a strong flavour, so use it sparingly. Thyme is particularly complementary to mushrooms. If I had sage, I would have added that as well.

Parmesan: A little freshly grated Parmigiano offered at the table,  can be a good idea, although  sometime I prefer to appreciate the flavour of the mushrooms and herbs without it.

Nutmeg? Nutmeg was unavailable in this holiday residence, which is understandable given its temporary nature. I would typically use it to enhance the dish.

Type of mushrooms? Any, or a mixture of mushrooms including dry porcini.

PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS; Pasta ai funghi

WILD MUSHROOMS; Saffron Coloured, Pine Mushrooms and Slippery Jacks

STUFFED MUSHROOMS with pine nuts and fresh breadcrumbs – Funghi ripieni

STUFFED FRESH FIGS, with cheese and mint

Made in 10 minutes – dead easy. Not a bad antipasto…or after dinner as it is a mixture of fresh fruit and cheese.

photo

Looks good, tastes good.

Compliments…. Plenty.

INGREDIENTS:
Fresh, good quality figs

Stuffing: feta cheese, or drained ricotta,  bocconcini or pecorino fresco.
Optional- walnut pieces.

Decoration and for fresh taste: Fresh mint leaves

PROCESSES
See the photo above.

 

ZUCCA LUNGA SICILIANA – long, green variety of squash

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This squash, the green leaves and magnificent sprigs of basil were a gift from a Sicilian friend: her father grew them in his garden. I feel very privileged to be given these precious vegetables. They are not a vegetable that can be easily sourced; I have seen them only once at a market in Melbourne. 

in Sicilian this squash is called a cucuzza and in Italian I will call it a zucca lunga – long squash or zucca serpente – which is what it is, a long serpent like squash. The tender leaves and tendrils of this plant are called tenerumi and I have written about these previously because both are typically loved by Sicilians and commonly used to make a refreshing summer soup (it could also be classified as a wet pasta dish).

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MINESTRA ESTIVA CON ZUCCA LUNGA SICILIANA, Sicilian Summer soup made with the long, green variety of squash

FRESH PRODUCE (and I did not have to go to SICILY to buy it). The Melbourne Showgrounds Farmers Market

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This time I cooked the soup differently than usual. There was more zucca – I used the produce I was given and I also made it in the same pot (in the other recipe which contains more tenerumi and less zucca, two pans are used).

The next day, we ate the leftovers as a cold soup; it was just as good….and as traditional. It is summer after all.

INGREDIENTS
zucca lunga siciliana ( mine was about 25 cms long)
1 large spring onion, sliced
2-3 tomatoes, roughly cut
3 cups of vegetable broth (I used a broth cube, optional) or water
fresh basil leaves, a good handful
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil,
1 cup of spaghetti (broken in small pieces)
PROCESSES
Cut the zucca in half, get rid of the seeds and cube it. 
Chop the tomatoes.
Sauté the onion in some olive oil for about 1 minute, add the zucca and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes.  
Add the tomatoes. 
Season with salt and pepper, add 2 cups of the stock, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the tenerumi, the rest of the stock and some of the basil; bring the contents to the boil.
Cook the pasta in the same pot; add the pasta and cook it until it is al dente.
Add more basil, a drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil and serve.

I appreciate this soup’s fresh taste and I sprinkled only a few chilli flakes on top (or use black pepper.)

 

QUAGIE ALLA GRIGIA CON SALVIA (Grilled quail with sage)

Most of the time when I marinate quail for a BBQ I either use the traditional Greek /Italian mixture of oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and oregano, or if I particularly crave for the middle eastern flavours, I may use preserved lemons, cumin, pomegranate molasses; sometimes I may add walnuts, red onions and parsley.

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I have always liked to include sage when I braise quail with white wine and particularly if I present them with polenta, so this time, I used sage in the marinade for the quails, which I later grilled.

I must admit, I did crave a bit of grilled polenta to accompany the quail, but on this occasion I accompanied them with a quinoa salad (See Middle- Eastern flavours above and add tomatoes, cucumber).

INGREDIENTS
quails, butterflied/split in half (I cooked 6 large ones, 1 per person),
dry white wine, 1 glass
extra virgin olive oil, ¾  cup
garlic, 2 crushed
pepper, salt
fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon
fresh sage, (12 sprigs, kept whole so that they can be removed after cooking)
PROCESSES
Mix all of the ingredients together and marinate the quails for at least 2 hours turning them every so often. Cook on grill for about 20-30 minutes and use the marinade to baste them as they cook.

Because I had some pork sausages to BBQ I decided to push a sprig of fresh rosemary into each sausage before I cooked them. They tasted great. I do like herbs!

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PASQUA, Traditional sweets, Cassata Siciliana, Agnellino pasquale (Pascal Lamb)

Pasqua is Easter, and this is celebrated with traditional Sicilian sweets, particularly Cassata and the Agnellino Pasquale (the Pascal Lamb). These small lambs are often made of marzipan but can also be crafted from other ingredients.

POLLOZZI GENEROSA, Sicily

Polizzi Generosa is in the Madonie  Mountains. The drive through the mountains on a foggy day was quite unsettling. The township is perched at ~900m with stunning valley views. ancient charm, Norman churches, artisanal food especially pastries.

Below is the photo of a small pasticceria in Polozzi Generosa, in the Madonie Mountains, not that far from Palermo. I have misplaced the photos of the pascal lambs I found in this shop, but they were beautiful.

Pasticceria Al Castello in Piazza Castello was recommended to me  because it was reputed to make the best  Sicilian pastry. Their authentic and tradition use of quality  Sicilian ingredients –  fillings  made with tuma (fresh cheese), glacé candied fruit, fresh local nuts especially hazelnuts.
I did buy a few things there to take to relatives who were on my schedule to visit, but unfortunately I have no photos!

* I looked this up recently to recommend to a traveller, and it is now listed as permanently closed.

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Pasticceria in Polozzi Generosa, Sicily.

Agnellino pasquale (Pascal LambS)

These Pascal lambs in the photo below are from Dolcetti, an excellent Pastry shop on Victoria Street in Melbourne.  marianna, the pastry chef is of Sicilian Heritage.

Hers are made of Marzipan.

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In Sicily, the traditional pascal lambs (agnellini pasquali) are made with marzipan, however I have found a recipe for making the lamb out of pasta garofolata  (dough flavoured with cloves/ cloves are chiodi di garofano in Italian).

This same dough is used to make ossa dei morti  (bones of the dead, customary Nov1st/ 2nd, the day of the Dead/ All saints Day).

Here is another version from a different Pasticceria in Sicily. This one is made of the dough used to make the traditional, Sicilian almond biscuits.

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For those of you who may wish to try making a pascal lamb (could be fun to make with children), here is the recipe from:

 RECIPE from Culinaria Italy, Claudia Piras, 2004:

Pasta Garofolata per Ossa Dei Morti o Agnellini Pasquali
Ingredients
2 pounds sugar — (approximately 1 kg)
2 pounds all-purpose flour — (approximately 1 kg)
10 whole cloves — ground
Almond oil
Method

In a saucepan, bring the sugar to the boil in a little water. When the sugar is dissolved, lower the heat and sift in the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, being careful that no lumps form. The flour MUST NOT be allowed to brown, it must stay snow white.Stir in the powdered cloves.

Once everything is thoroughly mixed and the flour is nice and white, remove from the heat.

As soon as it has cooled down enough to be handled make little bone shapes or lambs out of the dough.

Alternatively, if you have appropriately shaped moulds  you can brush them with a little almond oil and fill with the dough.

Leave for a few days in a dry place. Remove from the molds if you used
them.
Brush the undersides with water, place on a baking sheet and bake in
a preheated 350F (180C) oven. When the sugar has risen and turned the
distinctive colour of a monk’s habit, the cookies are ready.

NB. There are many recipes for making ossa dei morti; many use almond meal and egg white (marzipan).

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CASSATA

In Sicily, the dessert has to be cassata – not the Neapolitan one made with ice cream, but with ricotta, and Sicilians  use sheep’s milk ricotta because they can.

Each time I make a cassata it always looks different, but they always taste good. on occasions I have even made made marzipan with pistachio nuts –  it can be a long process peeling off  any of their flaky skins!

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I always cover the cassata with marzipan.

A slice of cassata

RECIPE FOR Glassa (fondant)

In pastry shops many cassate are covered with glassa (fondant):

There are many recipes where icing sugar is melted in water over a stove and then poured over the cassata – I find this too hard to work with and far too sweet. The following fondant is much easier to work with:

Fondant:
Beat 1 egg white till stiff, add 350 g of icing sugar (which has been infused with a vanilla bean). Add juice of one lemon and a few drops of green colouring. Beat till smooth. Spread over cassata. Many pasticcerie use white and green fondant.

Cassata decorated with fondant and glacé fruit.

To make cassata, see 2 different posts:
Cassata
Cassata 2

PASTA DI MANDORLA (How to make Marzipan recipe)

MARZAPANE also called Pasta Reale (Marzipan)

Vegetables in Season- winter, Melbourne, Victoria, September

In Melbourne (Queen Victoria Market Stall no 61-63)
 
Some Links to Previous Posts 
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Make the most of:
Fennel = many posts on All Things Sicilian and More
Artichokes = many posts on All Things Sicilian and More
Witlof
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Get ready for Spring: 
 
Asparagus
 
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PIZZAIOLA (fettine di manzo, steak cooked alla pizzaiola)

Pizzaiola, my mother called it, no need to use the term bistecca or fettine alla pizzaiola because experienced, Italian cooks all knew, that this traditional dish was only made with yearling or beef steak.

My son visited me last weekend and I cooked pizzaiola for him – it was one of his favourites as a child, either cooked by his grandmother or me.

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Pizzaiola is a classic and very simple Neapolitan dish: young beef, ripe tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, garlic, seasoning and parsley. These are the simple flavours of Naples (Campania region of Italy), the home of pizza. There may be some simple and complimentary variations when i napoletani make this dish, for example the addition of basil or some finely chopped anchovies – and even a food purist like me could tolerate a little of these ingredients. If you want the real thing, pizzaiola is cooked on the stove, no mushrooms, bacon, cheese slices, capers, olives or any other embellishment.

I had not cooked this dish for a long time so I thought that I would consult some of my books about Regional Italian cuisine. Because it is a Neapolitan dish, it is not represented by all of the classic cooks, (not even Pellegrino Artusi (1820–1911), author of La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiare bene – The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well.) But some of the old, celebrity lions and lionesses (e.g. Waverly Root, Ada Boni, Elizabeth David, Anna Gosetti della Salda) include the recipe in their collections and know how it is traditionally cooked. Do not look for a recipe on the web, you may be grossly misinformed.

In some of the recipes, the steak is sealed quickly in hot oil before it is added to the sauce. My mother never did this (and in fact some of the older recipes do not do this either); the steak is put into the sauce raw, this results in a much lighter tasting dish.

I like to add potatoes to pizzaiola and cook the potatoes with the meat at the same time; patate all pizzaiola is also a classic Neapolitan dish and often the two are combined.

Usually in Italian cuisine dry oregano is preferred (because it is stronger tasting), but for pizzaiola the fresh oregano is also well-liked – use a generous amount of fresh oregano and cut it finely.

You need lean, young beef, sliced very thinly. On this occasion I used a girello which I sliced myself, but in the past I have used thinly sliced topside. If I use rump or sirloin which require less cooking time, I do not add potatoes, reduce the amount of cooking time and only use half of the amounts of tomatoes. I am unsure of what cuts of meat to use in other countries – I have many readers in the USA or UK.

This dish is assembled in layers and then cooked.

INGREDIENTS
1. young beef/yearling steaks, very thinly sliced, trimmed of all fat and beaten with a meat mallet to about 5mm thick, 6 (one per person)
2. tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, 800g (2 tins x 400g each)
3. potatoes, peeled, then cut into thick slices, estimate how many you would like for each guest
4. extra virgin olive oil ¾ cup, garlic 4-5 cloves cut finely, salt and pepper to taste, fresh parsley cut finely, ½ cup, oregano, fresh ½ cup (or dried, 2 teaspoons).

PROCESSES
Begin with a dribble of oil, herbs and garlic etc (See 4 above).
Next, add some tomatoes (See 2 above).
The next layer is steak, (continue with 4 and 2)
Then a layer of slices of potatoes (see 3 above).
Continue with the layers and ensure that the ingredients are just covered with some tomato. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and the meat is tender.

As my son said at the end of the meal: “Just like nonna used to make it”.
Why are grandmothers more important?

 

PUDDASTRI CA PIPIRATA: POLLASTRI CON PEPERATA (Chicken with a sauce containing pepper and spices)

These beautiful chickens (and dogs) belong to friends. The chicken with the speckled feathers around her neck (in the front of the top photo/ and in the second photo at the bottom) won 1st prize at the Royal Melbourne show in 2009.
My friends would not dream of eating their chickens.

Whilst admiring these chickens my friends and I began discussing a chicken recipe that they had eaten at my place, an adaptation of a Sicilian recipe called Jadduzzedi e Puddastri ca sarsa pipirata in Pino Correnti’s book: Il libro d’oro della cucina e dei vini di Sicilia.

Correnti describes the dish as young chickens and roosters, pot roasted in oil, butter, bay leaves, rosemary, salt and pepper and deglazed with a little marsala (the dry variety). These were then served with a reduced salsa pipirata consisting of the following ingredients: vin cotto, broth flavoured with cinnamon, cloves, ginger and rosemary, grated lemon peel and pomegranate juice. Apparently this particular dish was appreciated by a noble in Palermo in the eighteenth century.  Unfortunately then Correnti  goes on to say that this dish was revealed to him by a medium, and that he has never found  any basis or documentation for this recipe.

All cuisines have cultural origins, but the cooking methods and flavours have altered and evolved throughout history to become what they are today.

For a detailed version of the possible Cultural Origins of this medieval sounding dish see:

SPICY CHICKEN SALAD WITH PEPPER, PUDDASTRI CA PIPIRATA: POLLASTRI CON PEPERATA

Here is my version of Puddastri ca pipirata.

INGREDIENTS
chicken fillets, skinless or with skin. I use organic and depending on how large they are, estimate 1 per person.
The following recipe is sufficient for 6 people.

For the poaching liquid:
chicken stock, sufficient to cover the fillets (made beforehand)
celery, 2 stalks left whole
carrots, 3 young, scraped and left whole
onion,1 sliced into thick slices
spices, 5 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 pepper corns
bay leaves, 3
parsley, 4 sprigs
rosemary, 1sprig

For the marinade:
extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup
spices, 1/2  teaspoon of each, ground cloves and cinnamon (I used whole cloves once and watched my friends picking them out from their mouths – not a good feel),
bay leaves, 3- 4 (fresh leaves look great as well as doing their job)
chilly flakes or black pepper, to taste (I use plentyt)
sugar, a small teaspoon
salt, to taste
red wine vinegar 1/3 cup
lemon, the juice of 1, and the peel , peeled with a potato peeler and kept in strips so it can easily be removed.

For the salad:
celery, 2 of the tender stalks sliced thinly, and some of the light green leaves, chopped
cooked chicken and carrots
spring onions, 3 chopped or cut lengthwise into thin , short pieces
pine nuts, 3/4 cup
seedless muscatels (or raisins or currants), 3/4 cup previously soaked in a little wine or marsala

PROCESSES
Prepare this dish at least the day before you serve it – this allows the flavours in the marinade to achieve the required results.(I have learned through experience that this dish tastes even better if left to marinade for at least 24 hours).
Use a wide, shallow sauce pan which allows the fillets to be placed in a single layer (if possible). If the chicken is in a double layer, ensure that during the poaching process you swap the ones on top with the ones in the bottom layer to allow even cooking.

Prepare the poaching liquid – I really like to make this strongly flavoured.
Use sufficient chicken stock to cover the chicken fillets. (I usually have some stock in the fridge or stored in the freezer made with chicken with bones, carrot, onion and celery stick, a little salt, boiled and then reduced – see BRODO earlier post).
Strain the stock through a colander, empty it into the saucepan and to the stock, add the ingredients in for the poaching liquid listed above.
Bring the stock with added flavourings to the boil.
Place the fillets gently into this poaching liquid – it should just cover the fillets. Adding the meat to the hot stock will seal the meat and preserve the flavou. Adding the meat to the cold liquid will enrich the taste of the broth. Because the meat is the focus, add the chicken to the hot liquid.
Cover with a lid and bring slowly to the boil again on medium heat. Leave the chicken to poach gently for about 7 minutes (I do not like to overcook them – they need to be white in colour and when pricked with a fork still have some resistance).
Remove the pan from the heat and leave the chicken in the poaching liquid till cool – the chicken will keep on cooking in the poaching liquid and be kept moist till you are ready to marinade it.
Marinade: Mix all of the ingredients together in a container.
To assemble the salad:
I like to use a deep glass bowl to see the chicken and salad ingredients in layers.
Take out chicken fillets and cut each fillet into thick slices.
Strain the poaching liquid, discard the solids but keep the carrots – these can be sliced into batons and added to the salad.
Place the chicken fillets and carrots in layers and cover with a little marinade and other ingredients as you go. The lemon peel and bay leaves can be at the bottom of the dish and between the layers. Sprinkle pine nuts and drained dried muscatels, the spring onions, celery and carrots between the layers.
Top the whole dish with some of the cooled poaching liquid until all the chicken is covered (this will keep it moist and a good colour) and leave to pickle in the fridge. Shake the dish occasionally to amalgamate the flavours. Remove it from the fridge about an hour prior to serving.

Presentation
Prior to presenting the dish you may like to drain off some of the liquid to make it more manageable. Ensure that each person receives some of the other solids as well as the chicken and serve some of the liquid separately if you wish.

It is at this stage that on numerous occasions I have taken more liberties with dish by:
•    adding one or more extra ingredients to the dressing: 1-2 chopped anchovies , 1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses instead of the sugar (molasses is definitely not Sicilian)
•   scattering pomegranate seeds on top of the salad.

Save any left over liquid to use as a stock to flavour braised rabbit, chicken, pork and venison dishes.

A bit of trivia:
I read recently that pomegranate juice has anti-inflammatory compounds, cancer-killing isoflavones and antioxidant properties. Italians call it melograna, melograno granato, pomo granato, or pomo punico. The generic term, punica, was the Roman name for Carthage, and the best pomegranates came to Italy from Carthage.

 

CASSATA (It is perfect for an Australian Christmas)

Cassata is most closely associated with Easter, when fresh sheep’s milk ricotta is abundant in the Sicilian spring, but the cake is now enjoyed throughout the year for festive occasions and is perfect for an Australian Christmas.

I have  been making cassata for a very long time and this post was first written on 15 December 2009 and I  have updated over time.


 
 ABOUT CASSATA

Many believe that a cassata is an ice cream cake made out of assembled layers of ice cream. No Sicilians believe it, it is the Neapolitans who may be confused.

There are three types of Cassate (plural):

  • The Neapolitan made of three layers of flavoured ice cream,
  • The baked ricotta cassata often made at home by Sicilians,
  • And the famous iconic, traditional Sicilian Cassata.
Cassata Neapolitan Ice-Cream Version

Some people differentiate between the two cassate by referring to the one made with ice cream as a Neopolitan cassata.

 In the early 19th century, the ice cream makers of Naples were famous for making moulded, opulent, ice cream layered cakes and these were called cassate (plural of cassata).

Sicilian Cassata: History, Traditions and Ricotta Cake

The Sicilian cassata, however, has much older roots than the ice cream cakes popular with the Neapolitans.

This Cassata is a round, moulded cake shaped in a bowl lined with layers of sponge cake. The principal ingredient is sheep’s milk ricotta, which is sweeter and more delicate than ricotta made with cow’s milk.

The Ingredients That Define Cassata Siciliana

What distinguishes the traditional cassata of Sicily is its filling of sweetened sheep’s milk ricotta, mixed with:

  • small pieces of dark chocolate
  • candied/ glac`e citrus peel
  • sponge cake (pan di Spagna)

Within Sicily there are some variations which vary by location and family tradition, for example some recipes include an additional layer of sponge cake in the centre as well as the casing. Some  pastry chefs also include zuccata (candied pumpkin).

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Cassata is a baked pastry, traditionally made by a pastry chef and covered with fondant in the traditional green and white stripes.

The Ancient Origins of Cassata

Cassata is considered one of the great traditional desserts of Sicily and reflects the island’s long history of Arab, Spanish, French and local culinary influences.

Some say that the word cassata may have come from the Roman name for cheese, caseus (the Sicilian word for cheese is casu` or caseata).

The Arabs

Many believe that its origins are Arabic – the Arabs occupied Sicily for several hundred years – the invasion began in 827 AD and they conquered Sicily in 902 AD. They introduced the cultivation of sugar, very sweet desserts and the use of nuts and dried fruit in pastries. It is also likely that the name cassata may have come from Arab word qas’ah, a deep terra-cotta bowl; that may even have been used to shape the cake.

The Spaniards

The sponge cake is called pan di spagna in Italian (bread from Spain) and may have been a Spanish addition – the Spanish ruled Sicily intermittently for may years (Angevins, Aragonese, Viceroys and Bourbons from 1282 until the end of the reign of Ferdinand the second in 1859).

The French and the nuns in convents

The French and the locals also contributed to the evolution of Cassata. The pastry traditions of Sicilian convents later intersected with the work of the monsù, the French-trained chefs employed in aristocratic households from the eighteenth century onwards. While the nuns preserved and developed many almond- and ricotta-based sweets within convent kitchens, the monsù refined and elaborated these traditions, introducing greater technical sophistication and decorative flourish that helped shape the elaborate cassata and marzipan desserts recognised today.

The Role of the Pasticcere (pastry maker) and the Pasticceria (pastry shop)

Baked versions of Sicilian casssate are often made at home, but usually Sicilians (this includes my relatives), order their cassata from a pasticceria – it is left to the experts to make, mainly because cassate are usually elaborately decorated by pasticceri.

Some of the cassate in pasticcerie are often very baroque and white and green striped fondant is used. They are then decorated with ribbons of zuccata (candied pumpkin) and are often sprinkled with silver sugar balls.

Another Traditional Sicilian Details is sieving the ricotta before mixing it with the sugar. A small but important step in traditional cassata preparation is sieving the ricotta before mixing it with the sugar.

This extra step may seem minor, but it greatly improves the texture of the cassata. The filling becomes creamy and delicate rather than grainy, which is why Sicilian pastry chefs rarely skip it.

In many Sicilian kitchens the fresh sheep’s milk ricotta is first left to drain for several hours, sometimes overnight, so that excess whey is removed. It is then pressed through a fine sieve (or a food mill). This produces a filling that is exceptionally smooth and light.

Only after the ricotta has been sieved is the sugar added, followed by the chocolate, candied fruit and flavourings.

Cassata: Made at Home

The cassata is left to set and once it is turned out of the mould it is spread with apricot jam. It can then be covered with a sugar fondant (this is often coloured pale green because at one time cassata was covered with marzipan made with pistachio meal).

My preferred option is to cover it with marzipan and candied fruits and I have no trouble making  a simple version of  marzipan.

cassata-P1020058-300x225

The marzipan can be made well ahead of time.

I have also used marzipan fruit as decoration, this being what my friend Libby did when she followed my recipe of cassata and the post with a recipe to make Marzipan fruit.

Libby’s Cassata with her homemade marzipan fruit.

Introduction to my making of Cassata

I first made cassata many years ago using  the recipe from Ada Boni’s Italian Regional Cooking book. This highly regarded and out-of-print publication has evolved over time to consistently produce a delicious result, although its presentation does not match the elaborate decorative images of cassate in this post.

A slice of homemade cassata, displaying its filling.
Cassata Siciliana — Traditional Recipe

Cassata is a celebratory Sicilian dessert, rich in flavour, symbolism and history. While it requires time and care, it can be prepared in stages — and the result is a cake that truly reflects the essence of Sicilian tradition.

It is best prepared over two days. Assemble the cake one day in advance and allow it to rest overnight so it sets properly. The sponge also benefits from being made ahead, making this an ideal dessert to prepare in stages.

To Assemble
  • Approximately 450 g sponge cake (Pan di Spagna). It can be store-bought or homemade. The weight is equivalent to store-bought sponge cakes.
  • Ricotta filling
  • Marzipan (to cover)
  • Glacé fruits (for decoration)
  • ½ cup (or more) apricot jam (to bind sponge layers)
  • ½–¾ cup liqueur (or more, to taste)
Notes on Ingredients

Ricotta

Use firm, well-drained ricotta, preferably sheep’s milk, which is naturally sweeter and richer.

Ricotta is often sold in large rounds and cut to order — this is ideal.

Avoid tub ricotta, which is usually too wet and lacks flavour. If this is your only option, drain it overnight.

For a richer filling, you may add a little thick cream when blending.

Candied Fruit

Candied fruit (glacé fruit) is fruit preserved in a sugar syrup, which keeps it moist and intensifies its flavour.

Where possible, use high-quality candied citrus peel or whole candied orange slices rather than standard mixed peel.

Glacé fruit

Candied Cedro (Cedro Candito)

Also known as glacé citron peel, cedro is a fundamental ingredient in Sicilian patisserie. Grown in Sicily and Calabria, this large citrus fruit is easily recognised by its thick, aromatic rind, which ranges from green to yellow as it ripens.

Unlike lemons, cedro is prized not for its juice but for its peel — fragrant, sweet and tender. The rind is traditionally candied or transformed into a smooth, sweet paste, both of which are essential components in many classic Sicilian desserts.

Liqueur

Use to taste. Suitable options include:

  • Orange liqueurs: Cointreau, Grand Marnier
  • Mandarin liqueur: Mandarine Napoléon
  • Others: Sweet Marsala, Amaretto, Strega, Maraschino
Quantities/Weight

* Like many Italian recipes, particularly older ones, quantities are not as critical. Most recipes rely on sensory perception, particularly sight, touch and taste.

Adjust the recipe to your preferences and add greater quantities of ingredients as desired.

Recipes and Ingredients for the different components

Sponge Cake (Pan di Spagna)

Prepare 1–3 days in advance to facilitate easier handling.

Ingredients

  • 5 eggs
  • 120 g sugar
  • 100 g sifted flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • Lemon zest and/or vanilla
  • Butter for greasing

Method

  1. Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and creamy.
  2. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until firm.
  3. Gently fold egg whites into the yolk mixture.
  4. Fold in the sifted flour, then add flavourings.
  5. Pour into a buttered tin and bake at moderate heat for about 40 minutes, until lightly golden.

Cool completely. Wrap the sponge in protective covering or store it in a tin to maintain its freshness. until ready to use.

Ricotta Filling
  • 700 g – 800 g fresh ricotta (preferably sheep’s milk)
  • 120 g caster sugar
  • 60–100 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • 100 g pistachios, chopped
  • 60–100 g candied citrus peel (orange, lemon, cedro if available)
  • ¼ tsp vanilla (or vanilla bean paste)
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
Method
  1. Blend ricotta and sugar until smooth. (Alternatively, dissolve the sugar in a little water to form a syrup. Allow to cool before adding.)
  2. Stir in: vanilla, cinnamon, a dash of liqueur (optional)
  3. Fold in: chocolate, pistachios, candied citrus
  4. Mix gently until evenly combined.

Store in the fridge until ready to use.

MARZIPAN COVERING

Ingredients

  • 500 g finely ground blanched almonds
  • 300 g icing sugar
  • 1 egg white
  • Vanilla bean paste or natural essence (to taste)
  • Pinch of salt
  • A few drops green food colouring

Method

  1. Whisk the egg white with salt until frothy.
  2. Add vanilla.
  3. Gradually mix in ground almonds and icing sugar, kneading into a smooth, pliable dough.
  4. Adjust texture:
    • Add more almond meal or sugar if too soft
    • Add a little water if too firm

Optional: Divide into two portions and colour one green. Traditionally, cassata features pale green marzipan, sometimes linked to pistachio-based paste.

Wrap and refrigerate until needed (keeps well).

When ready to roll the marzipan out  do it between sheets of baking paper for ease.

Preparing the Mould and AsseMbling the Cassata
  1. Line a 25–30 cm round mould with foil or plastic wrap.
  2. Slice sponge into 4 even layers.
  3. Line the base with sponge and lightly brush with apricot jam (this forms a protective layer).
  4. Lightly sprinkle with liqueur.
  5. Use additional slices to line the sides of the mould, securing with jam if needed.
  6. Lightly moisten with liqueur.

Assembling the Ricotta

  1. Fill the mould with the ricotta mixture and smooth the surface.
  2. Cover with the final sponge layer.
  3. Lightly moisten with liqueur.
  4. Cover and place a light weight on top to compress.

Refrigerate overnight to set.

Covering and Decorating (Do this on the day of serving)

  1. Turn the cassata out of the mould.
  2. Spread a thin layer of apricot jam over the surface.
  3. Roll marzipan into a thin sheet and cover the cake.
  4. Decorate with glacé fruits.

CANNULICCHI A LA FAVURITA – CANNOLICCHI ALLA FAVORITA (pasta with broad beans, peas and artichokes alla favorita)

Cannulicchi a la Favurita – Cannolicchi alla Favorita is a Sicilian pasta dish that celebrates three of spring’s finest vegetables: fresh broad beans, peas and artichokes.

In Sicily, as in much of Italy, these vegetables arrive at much the same time and are natural companions. Their flavours are different but complementary: broad beans are slightly earthy, peas bring sweetness, and artichokes add their distinctive gentle bitterness. Together, dressed generously with extra virgin olive oil and pecorino, they make a particularly good sauce for pasta.

In Melbourne, spring brings the same opportunity. Broad beans and fresh peas appear in the markets, along with beautiful fleshy artichokes, and this is the time to make the dish while the vegetables are young and tender.

Cannolicchi alla Favorita and the Charleston

The recipe, and its intriguing name, came to me from the menu of the Charleston, a celebrated restaurant in Mondello, the seaside resort on the outskirts of Palermo.

Mondello, Palermo’s famous seaside resort and the setting for the Charleston restaurant.

The Charleston was known for presenting Sicilian ingredients and traditional dishes with considerable elegance. Its setting by the water added to its glamour, and it had a reputation as a place frequented by pezzi grossi – literally “big pieces”, but colloquially important or influential people.

I have never discovered precisely why the restaurant was given the name Charleston. Perhaps it was intended to suggest the glamour and exuberance associated with the Charleston and the fashionable dance halls of the 1920s. Whatever its origins, the name certainly suited such a grand seaside restaurant.

Its cooking drew strongly on Sicilian tradition but presented familiar ingredients in a more refined and contemporary way. Cannolicchi alla Favorita is a good example: simple seasonal vegetables transformed into an elegant pasta dish.

What Are Cannolicchi?

There is a little linguistic complication here because cannolicchi can refer to different things depending on context.

In this recipe, cannolicchi refers to the pasta: short, smooth, hollow tubes, generally about 5–6 centimetres long. Their cylindrical shape is particularly suitable because the pieces catch the vegetables, cheese and olive oil.

If cannolicchi pasta is unavailable, another reasonably large tubular pasta can be substituted.

The name cannolicchi has also been used in Sicily for certain artichokes, which makes the title of the dish particularly interesting when both pasta and artichokes appear on the same plate.

Broad Beans, Peas and Artichokes. A Sicilian Pasta for Spring

This is not a pasta dish with a heavy sauce. I think of it more as a warm spring vegetable salad combined with pasta.

The vegetables are cooked only briefly so that they remain fresh tasting and retain their beautiful variations of green. For this reason, I prepare the vegetables while the pasta is cooking and bring everything together at the last moment.

For the artichokes, use the tender inner heart and the fondo (the fleshy base beneath the leaves). I also use the peeled stalks because they have excellent flavour and there is no reason to waste them.

Large, fleshy artichokes are particularly suitable. You will need to strip off the outer leaves to reveal a fresh looking crisp heart .When they are in season, I find excellent ones at the Queen Victoria Market.

Large, fleshy artichokes
Fresh Herbs and Ricotta

The original combination is already full of flavour, but I like to add fresh herbs towards the end of cooking.

Mint is particularly good with broad beans and peas. Tender fennel fronds are another very Sicilian choice, while basil works beautifully when it is in season.

I also sometimes place a spoonful of fresh ricotta on each serving. It is not essential, but its mild creaminess is a lovely contrast to the pecorino and the slight bitterness of the artichokes.

The important thing is not to overwhelm the vegetables. This is a dish about freshness, simplicity and the flavours of spring.

What appeals to me most about Cannolicchi alla Favorita is its restraint. There is no elaborate sauce and no need for long cooking. Its success depends almost entirely on the quality and freshness of the vegetables.

Cannolicchi alla Favorita Recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients
  • 400 g cannolicchi or another tubular pasta
  • 5 large artichokes, depending on size
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 kg young broad beans, in their pods
  • 1 kg young peas, in their pods
  • 1 large fresh white onion, finely sliced
  • 100 g pecorino, freshly grated
  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • fresh mint, fennel fronds or basil, finely chopped
  • fresh ricotta, optional, for serving
Shell the broad beans
Prepare the Vegetables

Shell the peas and broad beans.

If the broad beans are very young and tender, I leave their pale green outer skins intact. With larger beans, remove the tougher outer skin.

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Peel the broad beans if necessary

Prepare a bowl of cold water acidulated with the juice of the lemon.

Trim the artichokes generously, removing the tough outer leaves until you reach the tender centre. Cut away any fibrous parts and remove the choke if one has developed. Retain the tender fleshy base and peel the stalks.

Slice the artichoke hearts, bases and stalks finely and place them immediately into the acidulated water to prevent discolouration.

Cook the Pasta and Vegetables

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, salt it generously and add the pasta.

While the pasta cooks, make the vegetable sauce.

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pan. Add the sliced fresh onion and cook gently until softened and lightly golden.

Drain the artichokes well and add them to the pan with the peas and broad beans. Season with salt and toss the vegetables over medium heat for about 7–10 minutes, or until just tender.

The exact cooking time will depend on the age and size of the vegetables. Avoid overcooking them — they should retain their freshness, colour and individual character.

Add the finely chopped herbs towards the end of cooking.

Bring Everything Together

Drain the pasta when it is al dente, reserving a little of the cooking water.

Add the pasta to the vegetables and toss gently so that the olive oil and vegetable juices coat the pasta. If necessary, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water to loosen the mixture.

Serve immediately with freshly grated pecorino and plenty of black pepper.

For an extra touch, add a spoonful of fresh ricotta to each plate.

The complete dish is a reminder of something fundamental to Sicilian cooking: when produce is at its best, very little needs to be done to it.

FAVE ( Broad beans)