SICILIAN CASSATA
Something Delicious from Stella!

Ingredients:

sponge cake
1 cup sugar
2 cups ricotta
4 oz. chocolate
2 cups mixed candied fruit
1 Tsp. vanilla
1 Tbs. chestnut flour
4 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. powdered cinnamon
1 oz. Maraschino liqueur
1 Tbs. pistachio nuts
1/2 cup apricot jelly
1/2 cup fondant
1 oz. orange flower water
1 Tbs. grated orange zest
4 Tbs. soaked squeezed raisins
pinch of salt
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. pine nuts
2 Tbs. coarsely chopped walnuts
milk, as needed

Preparation:

Line the bottom and sides of a cake mold 10" diameter with thin slices of sponge cake.
Dissolve the sugar over low heat in a small amount of water.
Sieve the ricotta and mix it with the sugar. Cut the chocolate in small bits,
dice half the candied fruit and add them to the ricotta, together with the vanilla,
cinnamon, liqueur and pistachio nuts. Put the ricotta in the mold, level off the top,
cover with slices of sponge cake, and cool for several hours.
Before serving, unmold on a dish. Spread the top with apricot jelly, cover with fondant
dissolved in a little orange flower water, and garnish with various types of
candied fruit.