1 1/4 lbs. Ricotta or good quality cottage cheese
Scant 2 c. granulated (caster) sugar
Ground cinnamon
5 sqs. bitter chocolate, crushed
1 lb. candied fruit
4 tbsp. pistachio or pine nuts, chopped
1 lb. sponge cake (made without fat)
Confectioners' sugar
5 tbsp. maraschino liqueur

For many people the famous Sicilian Cassata brings to mind a kind of ice cream. Indeed, there is an iced Cassata, but the traditional Cassata is a variety of cheese cake.

Beat the Ricotta in a large bowl until smooth. Dissolve the sugar with 2 or 3 tablespoons water over a low heat and cook gently until it just begins to change color. Take it from the heat immediately and beat into the Ricotta. Add a generous pinch of cinnamon and the crushed chocolate; mix well. Take half the candied fruits, reserving the best pieces to decorate the cake and chop them into very small pieces. Add to the Ricotta mixture, together with the nuts and stir well.

Cut the sponge into 1/2 inch thick slices and moisten them with maraschino. Line a deep round bowl about 10 inches in diameter with some of the slices and fill with the Ricotta mixture, smoothing it down nearly with the blade of a knife. Cover with the remaining slices of sponge and chill in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Cut out a cardboard base of the same size as the top of the bowl. Cover this with wax paper. Place it on top of the bowl with the waxed side towards the cake and, holding it firmly, turn the cake upside down on to the base. Carefully lift off the bowl. Decorate the cake with the reserved pieces of fruit, either whole or thickly sliced, and sprinkle with sifted confectioners' (icing) sugar. Serve immediately.

As with all recipes, there are variations on this cake. Some use a sugar syrup as a covering instead of the confectioners' sugar; others make a layer cake of the Cassata.

Make sponge cake from favorite recipe.