Grandpa Joe's favorite
Cassata

This is my interpretation of a dessert I helped prepare for the Chef's Table at Zazio's in Kalamazoo, Michigan several years ago.

About this recipe

Cassata is a classic Sicilian dessert consisting of layers of sponge cake moistened with liqueur, ricotta cheese, vanilla cream, fruits, nuts, and chocolate.  I like to think of this version as a deconstruction of the original.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups pastry cream
  • 4 egg whites
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup pistachios, chopped
  • ¼ cup almonds, toasted and chopped
  • ½ cup pine nuts, toasted and chopped
  • ½ cup cherries, chopped
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • 1 cup sweet Marsala wine
  • savoiardi
  • semi-sweet chocolate square

Directions

  1. Place the egg whites in a clean metal bowl and whip (by hand or using an electric mixer) to form soft peaks. 
  2. In another clean metal bowl, add the heavy cream and mix until soft peaks reform.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, pastry cream, cherries, raisins, almonds, pistachios, and pine nuts.  Fold in the whipped egg whites and whipped cream.
  4. Combine the Marsala wine with ½ cup of water.
  5. To serve, place a dollop of the cheese mixture in the bottom of each serving dish.  Add one or two savoiardi that have been soaked in the Marsala wine mixture for about 10 seconds.  Then, add another dollop of cheese. 
  6. Finish with a grating of chocolate.
Cassata.  Indescribably delicious!

Notes

  • Savoiardi are Italian ladyfingers.
Posted: April 2014; picture added: June 2015.