Cassatelle Trapanesi
Crisp, golden fried pastry half-moons filled with sweetened sheep's milk ricotta, dark chocolate, and cinnamon from the province of Trapani.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •Rolling pin or pasta machine
- •Fluted pastry wheel cutter
- •Deep frying pan
- •Slotted spoon
- •Fine sieve
- •Mixing bowls
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 17 g
- carbs
- 48 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 9 g
- calories
- 380 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Mix the semolina flour, olive oil, white wine, and water in a bowl until a shaggy dough forms.
- 2
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth and pliable.
- 3
Wrap the dough tightly in cling film and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- 4
Pass the drained ricotta through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.
- 5
Stir the caster sugar, chocolate, cinnamon, and lemon zest into the sieved ricotta.
- 6
Roll the rested dough out thinly to a thickness of roughly 2 mm.
- 7
Cut the rolled dough into 10 cm circles using a round cutter.
- 8
Place a generous tablespoon of ricotta filling onto the centre of each circle.
- 9
Brush the edges lightly with water, fold into half-moons, and press out any trapped air.
- 10
Trim and seal the curved edges securely with a fluted pastry wheel.
- 11
Heat the frying oil in a deep pan to 175 C.
- 12
Fry the pastries in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until blistered and pale golden, then dust with icing sugar.
Chef's tips
Ensure the ricotta is well drained overnight so excess whey does not burst the pastry. Press out all trapped air before sealing each half-moon firmly to prevent leaks during frying.
Ingredient substitutions
- sheep's milk ricotta → well-drained cow's milk ricotta, though it is milder and less traditional
- semola rimacinata → standard plain flour (Tipo 00), yielding a softer pastry
Storage
Store leftover fried pastries in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
Reheating
Warm gently in an oven at 160 C for 5 minutes to restore the pastry's crispness.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Leaving air pockets inside the pastries, which causes them to burst open in hot oil.
- •Using wet ricotta, which creates steam and turns the pastry soggy.
- •Frying at excessive heat, browning the crust before the pastry cooks through.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Cassatelle Trapanesi?
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