Traditionally, these are stuffed with ricotta, some kind of cocoa, or a combination of the two. They also resemble, at least to my mind, some forms of empanada. As I prepare to make Sardinian Panada for Easter, I wonder if it’s time to contemplate the many appearances of ostensibly Spanish cuisine items in Italian cooking, and to attempt to figure out exactly what this says about Spanish influence upon the illustrious peninsula. Alas, the baking project that lies before me (itself a topic for a future post, should no disasters occur) assures that it isn’t.
An Easter special - although to be honest I bought and consumed this bit of pastry months ago - cassatelle marks one of those special occasions where cannoli cream is inserted into something other than a cannoli. It shouldn’t be confused with Cassata, another traditional paschal dessert that appears to have a much more illustrious status in the world of Italian dolces, meriting an entire Wikipedia entry of its own. Cassatelle, which along with the other two items has a Sicilian origin, doesn’t seem to merit as much attention, although I imagine that, due to their shared ingredients and similar name (likely both derived from the Arabic qashatah, or bowl) they have a parallel history. What is Snack Semiotics, however, but a place for the underloved, the misbegotten, and the regionally specific to have their moment in the spotlight. Not to mention that this pastry, often referred to as cassateddi in Sicilian, is delicious, providing a pillowy alternative to the cannoli's shatter-crunch carapace. This humble dough horn boasts specific versions local to both Trapani and Agira, and I’m sure that if were to start splitting hairs (or kicking around the Sicilian countryside) a dozen more varieties would turn up.
Traditionally, these are stuffed with ricotta, some kind of cocoa, or a combination of the two. They also resemble, at least to my mind, some forms of empanada. As I prepare to make Sardinian Panada for Easter, I wonder if it’s time to contemplate the many appearances of ostensibly Spanish cuisine items in Italian cooking, and to attempt to figure out exactly what this says about Spanish influence upon the illustrious peninsula. Alas, the baking project that lies before me (itself a topic for a future post, should no disasters occur) assures that it isn’t.
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