Servings: 6-8

Ingredients for Pastry:

• 500 grams flour
• 100 grams lard (or cooking oil)
• 50 grams sugar
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ glass of water

Ingredients for Filling:

• 1 kilogram fresh ricotta cheese
• grams candied pumpkin
• 50 grams plain chocolate, chopped
• 300 grams sugar
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts

Ingredients for Icing:

• 500 grams sugar (or honey)
• cinnamon, finely ground
• olive oil or cooking oil
• ½ glass of water

Directions:

Make a smooth soft pastry with the flour, sugar (30 grams), lard (or oil), and a little water. Cover with a clean cloth, and leave for 30 minutes.

Press the ricotta cheese several times through a fine mesh sieve, and work it thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Add the sugar (300 grams), previously dissolved over low heat in the water.

Add the candied pumpkin, chocolate, and pine nuts.

Roll the pastry to a thickness of a few millimetres, and cut into strips about 4-5 inches wide.

Spoon a small amount of the filling onto the strips at a regular intervals, and then fold over.

Use a pastry cutter to divide into little pies, pressing the sides down well.

Deep fry in hot lard (or oil), and then place on paper towels to remove excess grease.

Dissolve the 500 grams of sugar in a ½ cup of water over moderate heat until it is syrupy for the icing.

Place the cassatelle on a serving dish, and cover with the icing or an equal amount of warm honey.

Sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Serve cold. Buon Appetito!