There are many variations on Zuppa inglese, or English trifle, in Italy. This one is Neapolitan, and calls for pan di Spagna rather than Savoiardi, and for ricotta instead of pastry cream. Different, but just as tasty. To serve 4-6:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (200 g) pan di Spagna or Genoise (commercially prepared will work if you're rushed)
- 2/3 pound (300 g) very fresh ricotta
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 1/4 pound (100 g) baking chocolate
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons Liquore Galliano (you could also use Strega or an amaretto)
- 1/2 cup rum
Preparation:
Grate the chocolate into a bowl.
Put the ricotta through a strainer and into a second bowl.
Put the sugar into a pot with a tablespoon of water, and heat it over a gentle flame, stirring constantly, until it becomes a pale caramel color. At this point stir it, a little at a time, into the ricotta so as to obtain a cream; next add the vanilla and the Galliano and mix well.
Thinly slice the pan di Spagna and line the bottom of a serving dish (10-inch, or 22 cm) with some of it. Sprinkle the pan di Spagna with the rum and spread two tablespoons of the ricotta mixture over it, followed by a dusting of chocolate. Continue with another layer of pan di Spagna, more rum, more ricotta, and more chocolate, and repeat the sequence until all is used up, finishing with grated chocolate. Chill the zuppa inglese for at least 2 hours before serving it.
Yield: 4-6 servings zuppa inglese alla Napoletana.
Put the ricotta through a strainer and into a second bowl.
Put the sugar into a pot with a tablespoon of water, and heat it over a gentle flame, stirring constantly, until it becomes a pale caramel color. At this point stir it, a little at a time, into the ricotta so as to obtain a cream; next add the vanilla and the Galliano and mix well.
Thinly slice the pan di Spagna and line the bottom of a serving dish (10-inch, or 22 cm) with some of it. Sprinkle the pan di Spagna with the rum and spread two tablespoons of the ricotta mixture over it, followed by a dusting of chocolate. Continue with another layer of pan di Spagna, more rum, more ricotta, and more chocolate, and repeat the sequence until all is used up, finishing with grated chocolate. Chill the zuppa inglese for at least 2 hours before serving it.
Yield: 4-6 servings zuppa inglese alla Napoletana.
