I am very fond of spinach and next time I visit my sister-in-law in Adelaide, I plan to cook something that holds a special place in our family’s culinary tradition—what my mother always called Omelet di Spinaci. This humble yet elegant dish made quite an impression on my Australian sister-in-law; it was, in fact, one of the very first meals my mother prepared for her when she was welcomed into our home for a Sunday lunch.
Despite its name, omelet—a slightly corrupted version of the French omelette—these are not the fluffy egg-based dishes you might expect. Rather, they are delicate crepes filled with a rich mixture of ricotta and spinach sautéed gently in butter. The filling is similar to what we used in cannelloni, and the crepes themselves are sometimes referred to as crispelle in other regions of Italy.
Sunday lunch was always a grand affair in my parents’ house. It was the day we invited guests to share our table, and my mother would go to great lengths to create something memorable. When we first arrived in Australia from Trieste, in northern Italy, Omelet di Spinaci were very much in vogue—and for a time, they became her signature dish whenever company came over.
Often, the filled crepes were topped with a rich sugo made from high-quality minced veal and beef, slow-cooked to bring out deep, layered flavours. Other times, she would pair them with vitello arrosto—a dish that, despite its name, was never oven-roasted. Instead, the veal was braised slowly on the stovetop, producing a deeply savoury jus that served both as a sauce for the omelets and as the perfect accompaniment to the meat, which was served as the secondo.
These flavours remain deeply tied to my memories of home and hospitality. Cooking Omelet di Spinaci in Adelaide will not only bring a taste of our family’s traditions to the table—it will also be a tribute to the quiet legacy my mother created through her cooking, one Sunday lunch at a time.
A Spinach by Any Other Name
When we first arrived in Australia, what is now widely known as “English spinach” wasn’t readily available.
It only became commercially accessible much later. At the time, what was commonly referred to as spinach in markets was often silverbeet or beet greens (blede in Italian), typically found at quality greengrocers.
Blede, a type of Spinach.
Silverbeet, in particular, was a staple in many Australian backyard gardens. However, to use it for dishes like Omelet di Spinaci, we had to strip the tender green leaves completely from the fibrous white stalks—a process that felt like a terrible waste of good produce.
Silverbeet.
Rather than discard the stalks, we found creative ways to use them. Sometimes we cooked them separately, covering them with béchamel sauce and a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese before baking them in the oven. We would jokingly refer to this dish as cardi—a nod to cardoons, the artichoke’s lesser-known cousin, which it vaguely resembled in texture and taste.
Over time, the term spinach came to refer to various leafy greens in everyday language, adding to the confusion. This is why you’ll sometimes see different types of greens in photos or dishes all described simply as “spinach.”
Of course, during those early years in Australia, it was my job to help in the kitchen—preparing vegetables, stirring sauces, and learning my mother’s methods by heart. Perhaps that’s why my sister-in-law has asked me to make this dish again when I visit her in Adelaide. Omelet di Spinaci are a cherished specialty of northern Italy, and recreating them is not just about the ingredients—it’s about passing on a tradition, one carefully prepared crepe at a time.
English Spinach.
INGREDIENTS AND PROCESSES
Crepes
3 eggs, slightly beaten, 3/4 cup plain flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 cups milk.
Mix the batter and leave to rest for at least 1 hour.
Fry crepes in a little butter. Make them thin/add more milk if necessary.
The crepes can be left for about 2 hours, and filled later if necessary.
Filling
English spinach, (I use 2 bunches for 6 people), 500g ricotta (drained),
50 g grated parmesan, ½tsp. nutmeg, salt. Some people put 1 egg in the
filling. Could be useful if you think that the mixture may be too sloppy.
Place the spinach in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, covered, squeeze out any excess moisture from the spinach. Coarsely chop and sauté the spinach in butter. Add nutmeg, and over medium heat stir occasionally for a few minutes until the spinach is flavoured. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for about 10mins. Add the drained ricotta and parmesan and combine (egg is optional). Season with salt and pepper.
Sugo
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
400g beef mince or cut into small chunks (fat trimmed)
400gveal mince or cut into small chunks (fat trimmed)
1 onion, sliced finely
700g passata or crushed tomatoes
basil, oregano,
salt and pepper
Heat oil in a large saucepan and soften the onion. Cook the meat until lightly browned.
Add passata/tomatoes, herbs and salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring now and again for about an hour medium-low heat. Remove the lid half way through cooking and evaporate some of the liquid.
To assemble
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Place 1 crepe on a clean work surface.
Fill with spinach mixture down the centre of the crepe. Roll up firmly to enclose filling.
Place the crepes side by side in a large ovenproof baking dish.
Spoon the sugo over the crepes and sprinkle with more grated parmesan.
Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese melts and crepes are heated through.
My relatives in Ragusa, Sicily, often visit their favourite massaro—a farmer who raises cows and makes cheese. They buy fresh farm produce: ricotta, provola, Ragusano, and caciocavallo.
Sicilians have a deep appreciation for locally made cheeses, and in Ragusa, unlike many other parts of Sicily, there are more cows, rather than sheep.
Ricotta, a staple in Sicilian kitchens, is prized for its freshness and versatility. It’s enjoyed on its own or used in various savoury and sweet dishes. Sheep’s milk ricotta is especially sweet and preferred for pastries. Where would the cannoli and cassata be without it!
Zia Niluzza and the Massaro
My aunt, Zia Niluzza, lives in Ragusa and regularly has her ricotta, provola, and caciocavallo delivered by a local farmer she called a massaro. She also enjoys visiting him, especially when she has guests. She makes it a must when I’m visiting from abroad.
For many years, cheese and ricotta were delivered by a man named Ciccio, who operated a small-scale dairy on his masseria (farm) just outside Marina di Ragusa. My aunt always referred to him as a massaro and he had only three cows. Those with more cows might be called a vaccaro (a farmer who had a herd), but to be considered a casaro (professional cheesemaker), cheese would need to be produced on a much larger scale.
Ciccio used to make Ragusano cheese, one of Sicily’s oldest and most distinctive cheeses. If you’ve watched Inspector Montalbano, you’ve likely seen the landscapes around Ragusa where this cheese is traditionally made. Ragusano is similar to provola in that it uses a pasta filata (stretched curd) technique, but it’s shaped in large rectangular blocks. It weighs up to 16 kilograms, and is aged for many months. It’s rubbed with oil and vinegar during aging, giving it its characteristic golden-yellow rind. The cheese has Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, which limits its name and method of production to this specific region.
Sadly, Ciccio ceased producing Ragusano when it gained PDO status. Upgrading his operation to meet PDO regulations proved too expensive, a common fate for many massari.
My First Visit – 1977
I first visited Ciccio’s masseria in 1977. I wanted to go and was fascinated by my aunt’s description of the process of making cheeses on such a small home farm..
We arrived unannounced and found the family in a two-room barn with packed earth floors and thick stone walls that naturally regulated the temperature. It was smoky inside. Ciccio had just made what would become Ragusano and at that point, there were still curds submerged in a tub of whey.
In another room, we saw pear-shaped provole, large yellow Ragusano cheeses resting on rafters, and pairs of caciocavallo hanging over wooden beams like saddlebags (“cacio a cavallo” literally means “cheese on horseback”).
Some cheeses were draining in reed baskets; others were maturing on racks. The smell was potent: smoke, sour milk, and the pungent vinegar and oil that is rubbed onto the Ragusano rind to make it the dark golden coloured cheese that it becomes.
This was a family event. Ciccio’s teenage son was stirring a large cauldron over a wood fire to make ricotta from the whey left over from caciocavallo. We watched in silence as the liquid separated into curds. His wife quietly brought us terracotta bowls with torn bread at the bottom. Each of us received a ladle of hot curds and whey – ricotta in its freshest form.
I asked for less whey. and bread.
The scene felt ceremonial: the smoke, the silence, the secret language (Sicilian rather than Italian was spoken almost throughout), the transformation of liquid into food, and the communal sharing. I made this comment aloud, but it didn’t go over well. Most Sicilians, including my aunt are very religious.
This ricotta was made with cow’s milk.They were delighted to see me taste the hot ricotta for the first time. I hadn’t known that freshly made ricotta was such a treat and that it was still produced in such humble, traditional ways.
The Sicilians in Ragusa seem very fond of eating warm ricotta. I liked the solid part but did not enjoy the bread in the whey. I did not dare complain.
We returned to Ragusa with a load: Ragusano, fresh provola, ricotta salata (salted, dried ricotta), and fresh ricotta draining in a reed basket.
Cheese Quick Guide
Cheese
Milk
Texture
Shape
Aging
Flavor Notes
Provola
Cow (sometimes mixed)
Semi-soft to firm
Pear/teardrop
Short to medium
Buttery, mild to tangy
Caciocavallo
Cow (or sheep/goat)
Semi-hard to hard
Gourd/teardrop
Months to 1+ year
Nutty, spicy when aged
Ragusano
Raw cow (Modicana)
Hard
Rectangular block
3+ months
Aromatic, sharp, savory
Not every one likes eating warm ricotta
Shortly after, my brother and sister-in-law visited Sicily. Excited by my experience, Zia Niluzza took them to Ciccio’s farm. But it was a hot day, and my sister-in-law—who isn’t fond of milk—couldn’t stomach the strong smells and warm curds. Zia was embarrassed by her refusal, and apparently the cheesemakers were a little surprised.
But I sympathize. The combination of smoke, sour milk, fermenting cheese, and heat can be overwhelming. Zia had planned the visit without thinking that not everyone finds warm curds in whey appealing.
The Tradition Lives On
Ciccio no longer makes cheese; he sold the farm due to changing economic and environmental conditions. Zia Niluzza now visits a different massaro. When I last visited, she was planning an outing with women from her church to enjoy fresh ricotta and although they are locals, it remains a popular local activity now open to both locals and tourists. I declined. I didn’t want to dilute my memory of that first visit.
Many of these masserie (farms) have converted rooms into spaces large enough to be eateries. My aunt has often booked these places for family occasions. When I go to Ragusa, she rounds up all the relatives so that we can be together and have feasts— everything that is presented is traditional local food, all made with the cheese they produce.
From My Kitchen: Sicilian Cheese Dishes
Formaggio all’Argentiera (Fried Cheese with Garlic, Vinegar, and Oregano)
Formaggio all’Argentiera is also a favourite in my kitchen, especially as an antipasto. It is very easy to prepare, and I have never had complaints from guests.
Argento is the word for silver, and silversmiths could eat cheese cooked in this manner and the method of cooking it is the same as the method that could be used to cook meat. The poor could not afford to eat meat (the silversmiths could), but the poor could cook cheese and give the impression of being well off (to any one who was walking past their house while they were cooking the cheese).
It is a rustic, traditional dish and can be made with fresh cheese – formaggio fresco, provola or caciocavallo.
Ingredients
For 2-4 slices of cheese, some extra virgin olive oil, garlic clove, sliced, dried oregano, freshly ground black pepper, a splash of white or red wine vinegar, pinch of sugar.
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
Add garlic and cheese slices. Sprinkle with oregano and pepper.
Cook for 1 minute or until golden, then flip. Sprinkle the other side.
Remove cheese and place on a serving dish.
Deglaze the pan with vinegar and sugar, reducing slightly.
Pour over the cheese and serve hot.
Tip: If your cheese doesn’t melt easily, you can leave it in the pan while deglazing. Not all cheese has the same melting point.
This cassata was prepared for a celebration. I was particularly pleased that my friend followed the cassata and marzipan fruit recipes on my blog (links below).
She got in touch and sent me some photos—it was her New Year’s Eve cake!
Doesn’t the cassata and the fruit look absolutely wonderful?
Hand-made marzipan fruit.
SHE writes: Your recipe works a treat and it is a great celebratory dessert. Everyone on New Year’s Eve thought it was very special!
Some even ate the marzipan fruit!
With more time I would have created a fancy edging with small leaf shapes. Your sponge recipe was most successful! The cake was delicious and I was generous with Cointreau. Everybody was delighted with the cassata – it was the highlight of the meal.
I followed your recipe closely but added more couverture choc (which isn’t so sweet) and glace orange and citron to the ricotta. The glace orange doesn’t have the intense flavour of candied orange peel so you need a bit more of that. I would be inclined to bump up the use of Cointreau next time to make the sponge even moister and to bring out the lovely orange liqueur flavour even more.
Could you also try adding honey to replace some of the sugar in the ricotta mix? It could make the ricotta a little moister too but wouldn’t make it too sloppy as it is stored in the fridge (the honey becomes more viscous when cooled). It has stored well in the fridge (hasn’t gone weepy at all). We had some for morning tea today with friends and it was greatly enjoyed.
Cassata cut.
MY reply:
Honey would alter the flavour and although this is not considered “traditional”or “authentic’.
But authenticity has very little to offer us in terms of practicality, individual tastes or even updates to what we know now about healthy food.
I am very well aware that you have bee hives in your back garden andI know how tasty your honey is. So why not?? just don’t invite any Sicilians around when you eat the Cassata.
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 Neopolitancassata.
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).
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.
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.
* 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
Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and creamy.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until firm.
Gently fold egg whites into the yolk mixture.
Fold in the sifted flour, then add flavourings.
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
Blend ricotta and sugar until smooth. (Alternatively, dissolve the sugar in a little water to form a syrup. Allow to cool before adding.)
Stir in: vanilla, cinnamon, a dash of liqueur (optional)
Fold in: chocolate, pistachios, candied citrus
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
Whisk the egg white with salt until frothy.
Add vanilla.
Gradually mix in ground almonds and icing sugar, kneading into a smooth, pliable dough.
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
Line a 25–30 cm round mould with foil or plastic wrap.
Slice sponge into 4 even layers.
Line the base with sponge and lightly brush with apricot jam (this forms a protective layer).
Lightly sprinkle with liqueur.
Use additional slices to line the sides of the mould, securing with jam if needed.
Lightly moisten with liqueur.
Assembling the Ricotta
Fill the mould with the ricotta mixture and smooth the surface.
Cover with the final sponge layer.
Lightly moisten with liqueur.
Cover and place a light weight on top to compress.
Refrigerate overnight to set.
Covering and Decorating (Do this on the day of serving)
Turn the cassata out of the mould.
Spread a thin layer of apricot jam over the surface.
Roll marzipan into a thin sheet and cover the cake.
I was discussing travelling in Italy and regional food (frequent topics of conversation) with an acquaintance, who told me that she and her daughter had really enjoyed travelling in Tuscany and had eaten a wonderful pasta dish with walnuts. She had no idea what it was; she had tried to work this out from recipe books but to no avail. She said that the sauce was very fragrant.
I think it must have been pesto di noci, very common in Liguria, home of pesto alla genovese (the one with pine nuts and basil).
I first ate this in Genova. My cousin Rosadele prepared this for me when I first visited her many years ago (to meet our respective, then husbands). Being autumn, she made this sauce to accompany agnolotti (pasta shaped like half moons/ hers were stuffed with ricotta and stracchino). She is a wonderful cook. Her mother, from Piedmont was also a very skilled cook, and between the two of them, there was always alchemy in their kitchens.
Although I promised this recipe to my acquaintance, I have been a little reluctant to post it in winter – it is made with fresh marjoram, and those of you who grow it and live in the colder states, will know that marjoram is dormant at this time of year. It hates hard winters and frost. However, if you have planted marjoram somewhere sheltered from the cold, and in a sunny location or even kept it indoors in a sunny spot, you may still have this herb. Taking one’s plant indoors is quite a common practice for people in England. My plant of marjoram, which was doing quite well on my balcony till about a month ago, now looks dead. I did check at The Queen Victoria Market this week to see if there were bunches of marjoram available, and there were.
Traditionally because it is a pesto, it is made with a mortar and pestle (see my recipe for Sicilian pesto), but I admit that with these ingredients a blender has worked well for me ( unlike basil which is likely to taste grassy if blended).
INGREDIENTS
walnuts, 500g
marjoram and parsley, 4 tablespoons of each, chopped
ricotta, 250 g
extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup
garlic, 1-2 cloves
water, 1 tablespoon
salt, to taste
butter or thick cream, 2 tablespoons
grated nutmeg, a little
pasta, 400-500g (trofie – Ligurian, traditional shape)
PROCESSES
Blend walnuts, oil and garlic – add chopped herbs, salt and blend some more.
Add water and butter/ cream and pulse blender to the desired consistency.
Cook pasta.
Stir in the ricotta and nutmeg in the sauce.
Drain the pasta but reserve approx ½ cup of hot pasta water to stir into sauce just before serving (to warm the sauce).
Combine sauce with pasta and serve.
Grated parmigiano can be added – I prefer it without.
Do not get confused with oregano and marjoram (many do). The genus name for both is origanum. Marjoram (origanum majorana) is also called sweet marjoram or knotted marjoram. It has a softer leaf and stem, it is paler in colour, the flavour is milder, sweeter and it is very aromatic. Marjoram leaves are best when fresh.
Oregano is a very common herb in Sicily, but not marjoram – this herb is generally used only in the northern part of Italy.
I love baked ricotta, but not the bastardized versions blended with eggs and herbs I have seen for sale. I do not know where these originated – not in Italy and definitely not Sicily!
I like to make the authentic, baked ricotta – unadulterated, white and fresh tasting in the centre, with a golden-brown crust. I particularly like it as a first course accompanied by a tomato salad and presented as a light meal.
Purchase the solid ricotta, in Australia usually sold by weight from four kilo shapes . The creamy variety sold in plastic tubs is not suitable.
In Sicily the ricotta is drained (on a rack overnight in the fridge) and just rubbed with salt and baked slowly uncovered until it becomes a dark golden colour. Sometimes, olive oil is rubbed over the ricotta before the salt is added, but not always. I also like to add a few herbs for flavour at the bottom of the ricotta while it is cooking and sometimes pepper (or red chili flakes) but this is not strictly traditional.
INGREDIENTS
ricotta, fresh and a solid piece
extra virgin olive oil, to coat the ricotta
herbs:¼-½ cup dried oregano, enough to sprinkle as a covering and on the bottom
fresh rosemary and/or bay leaves (optional) placed under the ricotta
black pepper, ¼-½ cup or dried red chili flakes, 1 teaspoon (optional)
salt (flakes or coarse), to sprinkle on top.
PROCESSES
The following cooking time is for a piece of ricotta weighing about 1 kilo.
Pre heat your oven to 180 C.
Oil the bottom of a baking tray, place a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper, and oregano (also the bay leaves and/or rosemary if you wish to include these).
Place the lump of ricotta (or wheel) on top of the flavourings.
Oil, the ricotta lightly – use your hands to coat it.
Sprinkle with the salt (I use flakes) and oregano – use your hands to ensure that it is well seasoned.
Cover with foil and bake in a 180 C for 15 minutes .Remove the foil and bake uncovered until the it has just begun to turn golden brown – it may take about 40 minutes or more, depending on the size.
Allow to cool before eating.
Cover with foil – this dish will keep well in the fridge for 3 days. A perfect dish to prepare well ahead of time.
VARIATION
In a restaurant in Syracuse I was presented with warm baked ricotta sprinkled with a coating of toasted pistachio nuts.
To make this version, rub the ricotta with olive oil and a little salt. Add the nuts in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
It can also double up as a dessert if dribbled with honey.
Ricotta is much loved by Italians particularly Sicilians who like to eat it very fresh (made on the day). It is eaten on its own and is an essential ingredient, both in savoury and in sweet dishes.
In Sicily the more prized ricotta is made from sheep’s milk. It is creamier, sweeter and more fragrant than the cow’s milk variety – this is especially used in Sicilian pastries especially cannoli and cassata.
The word ri-cotta means re-cooked. After the curd has been removed to make cheese, the left over whey is recooked to make the ricotta sointerestinglyin Italy it is not considered a cheese.However, a cheese manufacturer in Australia has told me that ricotta is mostly made from whole or part skim milk (sometimes called ricotta magra) and because it is a first curd we can call it a cheese.
In Australia ricotta is mostly made from cows’ milk but there are some manufacturers that use sheep’s milk. An excellent one is from a sheep dairy on Kangaroo Island’s Cygnet River in South Australia (Island Pure). Mt. Emu Creek in Camperdown, Western Victoria also make one and I have also tasted one in Tasmania, but at that time the texture and taste needed further development (the other sheep’s milk cheeses from this particular cheese manufacturer were excellent).
One of the delights for Sicilians is to eat ricotta when it has just been made. Sicilians go to the manufacturers (often these are very small farms called a masseria) and watch the ricotta form. Each guest is given a spoon and a terracotta bowl with broken pieces of fresh bread on the bottom and when the curds separate from the whey each is given a ladleful to eat hot.
My parents lived close to a cheese factory in Adelaide and when my father retired and was still alive, they used to buy their ricotta three times per week. They knew the time and the day that it was made and collected it and consumed it while it was still warm and fragrant, any left over ricotta was used in cooking. If it was to be eaten the next day, it was heated in the microwave for a few minutes to rinfrescarla (refresh it).
The same Adelaide cheese manufacturer makes ricotta salata. This cheese is extraordinarily good to eat fresh – it is much thicker and tastier than the fresh ricotta because it has been salted and drained for about one week before it is sold. It also tastes exceptionally good baked, fresh and unadulterated – use a slow oven. If you have enough willpower to allow some to dry naturally, you can use it as a grating cheese (my father used to have an electric fan, positioned on top of the cheese to help the drying process). The hard, strong tasting Greek variety of ricotta salata that seems to be more readily available commercially is quite different.
When we first came to Australia we were unable to buy ricotta. My father explained how the contadini (people who lived in rural areas and had some produce) used to make ricotta by using milk from their goat, sheep or cow, and the natural rennet from the stomach lining of one of these slaughtered animals to coagulate the milk. Rennin is now synthesized. Because the rennet was not always available (it depended how often one slaughtered) the contadini also used the sap of a branch from the fig tree to set the milk.
On a radio program I heard of an interesting development that took place around the town of Woodburn in New South Wales. In 1882 a number of Italians arrived and built a happy and prosperous settlement, which was called “New Italy”. They grew vegetables and grapes, used to fatten pigs and calves; they made salami and also cheese. To do this, after the calves were killed for meat, they filled the stomach with milk and smoked it slowly over a fire for at least 3 days. The rennet set the milk and they had cheese. Where there is a need there is a way.
Back in the past I did try to make ricotta and used the sap from a branch of a fig tree. It did work, but I would like to have known about junket tablets, which were at the time, very popular for setting milk as desserts and are commonly still produced in South Australia.
To make fresh cheese with junket tablets:
Into a saucepan with 1 litre of whole milk heated until luke warm, add 2 junket tablets (crushed and dissolved in a little warm water). Stir until separated. With a slotted spoon tranfer the curds into a small basket or colendar lined with cheesecloth. Place on a rack to drain freely. It will set in about an hour.
It will only make a small amount.
I am able to purchase unpasteurized Jersey cows’ milk (called bath milk) at the Queen Victoria Market. My brother tells me that he has seen reed baskets in some continental supermarkets in Adelaide, but a colander lined with cheesecloth serves the purpose however the cheese will not look as good.
The photo was taken in the Catania market. Ricotta is often sold in these reed baskets and in some Sicilian communities the farmer who manufactures the ricotta sells them from door to door and return the next day to collect the empty containers.
My zia Niluzza who lives in Ragusa is an excellent cook and when I visit her she fusses over me and cooks constantly.
Ricotta is one of the most common ingredients in her kitchen and she must eat it fresh – made on the day and preferably eaten warm. Any ricotta which is one day old (it is never older) is cooked.
One day, I had been speaking to her about frittate (plural) and how I had read in a book about Sicilian cuisine that frittate were not common in Sicily.
The next day I found her preparing this a simple frittata (see photo) made with crumbled fresh pork sausage, freshly laid free range eggs and ricotta. Sicilians do make frittata but in Sicilian, it is sometimes referred to as milassata and frocia. I have already written about this on Janet Clarkson’s blog: The Old Foodie, An authentic frittata).
Ricotta can be made with sheep’s milk or cow’s milk. Sheep’s milk ricotta is sweeter tasting and smoother. Either type of ricotta is suitable.
INGREDIENTS
eggs 7, lightly beaten (free range)
pork, Italian sausages 2 ( made from good pork mince with sometimes fennel or orange peel or white wine)
ricotta, 200g
salt and pepper
PROCESSES
Heat some olive oil into a large heavy-based fry pan.
Crumble the sausage and sauté into the frypan till cooked.
Add the ricotta slices and lightly fry it.
Pour the eggs, mixed with the seasoning into hot oil.
Process for cooking all frittate:
Fry the frittata on the one side. Turn the heat down to low and, occasionally, with the spatula press the frittata gently on the top. Lift the edges, tilting the pan. This will allow some of the runny egg to escape to the sides and cook. Repeat this process until there is no more egg escaping.
Invert the frittata onto a plate, carefully slide the frittata into the pan and cook the other side.
A frittata is never baked; fritta means fried in Italian.
