Cassata Siciliana

Picture this. Two layers of sponge cake soaked in liqueur, wedged between a thick layer of ricotta cheese, citron, peel, vanilla cream and chocolate. Now, encase that cake in marzipan and decorate to your heart's content with candied fruit (cherries, slices of citrus).  If that's not sweet enough for you, maybe even go wild and brush it with a sugar glaze and pipe icing. That, signore e signori (ladies and gentlemen) is the modern take of the baroque cake known as cassata Siciliana. 

Cassata Sicilliana. 

What makes this dish Sicilian are the ingredients of ricotta cheese, candied fruits and sugar. Sicily is the birthplace of ricotta cheese. Known as zammatàru "dairy farmer", ricotta cheese holds a significant place in Sicilian farming life. Sugar was introduced in Sicily during the tenth century as it came under Arab conquer. During then, many sugar plants were established in Palermo, Sicily and thus the Cassata was born. Made traditionally as an Easter specialty of eggs, ricotta cheese, candied fruits and vast amounts of sugar, it requires time to assemble due careful attention to all its intricate decorations. As a result, authorities in the 1500s had prohibited the making of this decadent cake as monastery nuns had become too distracted and preferred to bake and eat rather than pray. Now who said nuns never break rules? 

Gelato Cassata. 

 American cassata

Consumption and modern takes of the cassata outside of Sicily today vary. Often to the point where traditional Sicilian ingredients are no longer used such as replacing ricotta with gelato, resulting in a final product resembling an ice cream cake. In America, many variations have taken their own liberty of using strawberries, custard and whipped cream to cater for the American palate. This is not surprising as different groups have an “identifiable cuisine” with their own norms of food (Belasco, 2008 ). Ricotta cheese doesn't exactly scream American cuisine for most.

Today, the cassata Sicilliana is the most famous sweet of Sicily. No other cake brings together the sweetness of ricotta cheese, marzipan and candied fruits than this quintessential Sicilian work of art. 

Photo and information sources used:

Belasco, Warren. (2008) Identity: Are We What We Eat? Food: The Key Concepts. Berg. 

Photos: Gelato cassata, American cassata, Cassata Siciliana

Links: 

Introduction of sugar to Sicily

Cassata: The Sicilian Cake 

The Glorious History of Sicily Under The Arabs