Cassata is Sicily's interpretation of the concept of Cheesecake, and as one might expect given the inventiveness of Sicilians, they take it a very long way.

The framework, if one can call it that, is pan di Spagna -- thin layers, shaped into a box of sorts, which is filled with a delightfully light ricotta cream that can (but doesn't have to) contain candied fruit or chocolate shavings or both, and all covered with a voluptuous layer of marzipan, white in this case, and decorated with candied fruit.

You do have to like sweet desserts, but if you do a well made Cassata is food fit for the Gods. And this cassata, prepared by the folks at the Hotel Moderno in Erice (overlooking Trapani) was very good.

A traditional Sicilian Cassata Recipe

While we're on the subject of Sicily, I've just posted the photos of the second part of my Sicily trip (Mount Etna and Taormina, mostly) on Facebook.

Looking for something else? Check the Index!

Keep up with the site by signing up for my free newsletter!
Become a fan of About Italian Food on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!

Elisabetta is very good at improvising with what we have on hand; the other day she found a store-bought pan di Spagna (roughly equivalent to pound cake, and she suggests one could use low-fat pound cake if need be) in the cupboard, and cream, milk, eggs, and strawberries in the fridge. The solution?

A layer cake.

• 1 pound (500 g) strawberries
• A round pan di Spagna 12 inches in diameter and 2 high (22 x 5 cm)
• 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
• 6 egg yolks to make crema pasticcera (pastry cream), together with the necessary milk, sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt

Her instructions:

Begin by began by hulling the strawberries and setting aside the best looking third of them. Blend the remainder, with a tablespoon or two of sugar.

Divide the pan di Spagna (or pound cake) into 2 one-inch thick layers, and spread the strawberry puree over the lower one (this is a good step to entrust to a child).

Make crema pasticcera using the yolks and other ingredients and let it cool, stirring it occasionally lest a skin form over it. In the meantime cut the reserved strawberries in half and whip the cream until it is quite fluffy. Fold the cream into the crema pasticcera to make crema Chantilly, and spread about a third of it over the strawberry jam.

Replace the second layer of pan di Spagna over the first, and carefully spread the remaining crema Chantilly over the top of the cake. Arrange the halved strawberries in a decorative pattern atop the cake, chill it for an hour, and it's ready.

Enjoy!

More ideas for strawberries.

Looking for something else? Check the Index!

Keep up with the site by signing up for my free newsletter!
Become a fan of About Italian Food on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!

A fellow wine writing friend and I were talking a while ago about what we would drink if we could only drink one wine. It was a hot day and I muttered something about well chilled crisp bubbly.

Richard nodded, and said, "I'd go with Chianti."

And you know, he's right.

Chianti, especially that made in the Chianti Classico appellation, is one of the most versatile of all Italian wines. The backbone of the wine is Sangiovese, a grape that when properly grown displays terrific elegance and finesse. Depending upon soil conditions and vineyard exposure it can also be lighter or more full bodied, and more or less acidic, which means that Chianti can be everything from a light, zesty quaffing wine suited to picnics, cookouts, and quick indoor meals to a fuller, mellower wine that will work well with a roast or stew, to a powerful, elegant meditation wine that will age well for many years if not decades, and be something to enjoy on a special occasion.

I've just posted a list of the wines that most impressed me from this year's vintage presentation; you'll find everything from summer quaffing wines to elegant Riserve, and in a range of styles.

While we're at it, you may also want to check my suggestions for the Chianti Classico wines presented in 2011, which are still in stores -- the Riserve, in particular, will have benefited from that year they have spent in bottle since their release, and be much readier to drink.

Moving in a different direction, a couple of pasta dishes that are quick and easy:

• Corkscrews with Walnut Sauce
• Lemony Linguini

Looking for something else? Check the Index!

Keep up with the site by signing up for my free newsletter!
Become a fan of About Italian Food on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!

On Saturday Daughter C had a friend over, and rather than serve the standard (packaged) merenda, or afternoon snack, we decided to do make coccole, which are fried dough balls one generally serves with prosciutto and cheese. Only that the word coccole is a strictly local Tuscan term, and finding a recipe proved difficult.

There are many recipes for gnocchi fritti, however: they are a specialty of Emilia Romagna, puffy fried bread dough that gains a special something from a little lard worked into the dough as one kneads it. And since I wasn't certain of how they would come out, I also made the batter for a batch of pettole, Puglian fried dough balls.

To go with our gnocchi fritti and pettole we had prosciutto, salame, stracchino (an acidulous spreadable cheese), and Lambrusco for the adults -- Because by the time I began frying C's friend's dad had arrived, and when her mom came a little later we simply added another place at table.

Merenda had become a tasty, somewhat different early dinner!

Looking for something else? Check the Index!

Keep up with the site by signing up for my free newsletter!
Become a fan of About Italian Food on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!