Last week I hosted a dinner party with an Italian theme. I wanted to choose desserts that were a little different. I picked these tarts and the Pistachio Pie I will talk about tomorrow.
I don’t think I have ever even tasted a Sicilian cream tart, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
They were delightful!
The tart disc dough is very light. The wine adds a little color and just a hint of the wine flavor.
The dough is stiff, but is quite easy to work with. It rolls well, and cuts well with very little sticking.
It only takes a minute or two for the discs to fry. They puff up while they are cooking giving them a very light feel.
The filling is exceptional.
The ricotta is a wonderful base for the filling. It has enough body to it so the filling holds up well.
For the chocolate I used a dark bitter chocolate. I think was absolutely the right call. The bitterness of the chocolate helped enhance the citrus.
The orange and lemon rind add a ton of citrus flavor to the ricotta.
When you combine the dough discs and the filling, you get a lovely little bite size treat. They were not overly sweet, but just the right combination of citrus, chocolate and sugar.
CASSATELLE ALLA SICILIANA
SICILIAN CREAM TARTLETS
DOUGH
1 Pound Flour
1 Egg
4 Tablespoons Tepid Water
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons Claret
3 Tablespoons Shortening
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
Pinch Salt
FILLING
1 Pound Ricotta
1 Square Bitter Chocolate, Chopped
1 Tablespoon Chopped Citron
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
4 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons Grated Orange Rind
1 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Rind
1 Pint Peanut Oil
Dissolve sugar in tepid water. Mix all other ingredients, except claret. Add water slowly. Knead well. While dough is stiff, gradually add wine. Continue kneading until dough can be rolled out easily. Place in a bowl. Set aside in a cool place for 30 minutes. Blend all filling ingredients, except oil. Stir until a custard like consistency is achieved. Add a little milk if the mixture is too dry. Set in refrigerator. Cut rested dough into three sections. Roll one section out on a lightly floured board until very thin. Cut into 3 inch diameter disks. Fry in very deep hot oil for 1 minute. Drain on paper. Cool. Repeat with remaining dough. When disks are cold, put one in the palm of your hand. Spread a tablespoon of filling on top. Top with another disk. Repeat until all disks are used. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
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