“Baked Cassata: Sicily’s Ancient Sweet Secret”
The Baked Cassata is one of Sicily’s oldest and most irresistible desserts — a buttery shortcrust shell filled with sweet ricotta and chocolate chips.
It’s the perfect mix of Arabic influence, Roman simplicity, and Sicilian passion.
In this video, I’ll show you how to make it from scratch, just like a true Sicilian pastry chef.
00:00 – Intro
00:08 – Make the pastry
00:32 – Prepare the ricotta filling
00:40 – Assemble the cassata
00:50 – Bake & serve
🍮 Ingredients (serves 8)
2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (120 g) sugar
½ cup (120 g) cold butter
2 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
Zest of 1 lemon
14 oz (400 g) sheep ricotta, well drained
1 cup (150 g) powdered sugar
⅓ cup (50 g) dark chocolate chips
Pinch of salt
Powdered sugar for dusting
🥣 Step-by-Step Recipe
1️⃣ Make the pastry:
Mix flour, sugar, and cold butter until crumbly.
Add the eggs and lemon zest, form a dough, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2️⃣ Prepare the ricotta filling:
Whisk ricotta with powdered sugar until creamy.
Add chocolate chips and mix gently.
(Tip: Strain the ricotta for a smoother, richer texture.)
3️⃣ Assemble the cassata:
Roll out two-thirds of the dough and line a greased 9-inch (22 cm) pan.
Add the ricotta filling and cover with the remaining dough.
Seal the edges and prick the top with a fork.
4️⃣ Bake & serve:
Bake at 340°F (170°C) for 40–45 minutes until golden.
Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
💡 Chef’s Notes
Sheep ricotta gives the best authentic flavor.
Let it chill for 2 hours before serving — it firms up beautifully.
Even better the next day, when all the flavors blend together.
💬 A dessert that connects centuries of Sicilian history with one bite.
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👩🍳 Special Collaboration!
This video was created together with Selvaggia – salutebellezzaumore 💚
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Today we bake Sicily’s sweetest legend pend castata alorno. A dessert born from ricotta sugar and centuries of temptation. I combine 300 g of flour, 120 of sugar and 120 of cold butter. The dough should turn crumbly like golden sand. Now I add two yolks, one whole egg, and some grated lemon zest. Then I work the dough. I shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes. Patience in the kitchen is true sweetness. Sweet raakota meets sugar and chocolate smell. The filling that made Sicilians forget moderation forever. I pull the cream and seal it with pastry cr in Sicily. Even perfection smells like butter and ricott. Patience. It smells divine long before it’s ready. I bake it at 170° for about 45 minutes until it’s golden. Then I let it cool and dust it with powdered sugar. The Arabs brought sugar. The Romans brought rico. Sicily made perfection. Casata isn’t just dessert. It’s history served warm.
Dining and Cooking