Cassatelle: Chocolate & Ricotta Fritters

For the filling:

250 grams (1 cup) whole milk ricotta cheese, drained

30 grams (¼ cup) confectioner’s sugar, sifted

45 grams (¼ cup) mini chocolate chips or finely chopped dark chocolate

A few pinches of flaky sea salt, to finish

Method:

To make the cassatelle dough:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Make a well in the middle and add the wine, olive oil, and lemon juice. Mix together with a fork. Gradually add the water (you may not need all of it) and continue to mix together until you have a smooth and silky dough. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for one hour.

To make the ricotta filling:

Drain the ricotta for several hours, or overnight in the fridge. Place it in a cheesecloth, set over a fine-mesh sieve and bowl, to remove as much moisture as possible.

In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta with the confectioner’s sugar until smooth and there are no longer any lumps of sugar.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble and fry the cassatelle:

Remove the dough from the fridge. Using a rolling pin or pasta machine, roll out the dough to about the thickness of a quarter (roughly 1.5 mm). Using a round cookie cutter or ravioli stamp , stamp out circles of dough (anywhere between 2½ – 4 inches round is a good size).

Place about 1 teaspoon of filling on one half of each round (you can also use a piping bag to do this). Place a few chocolate chips on top of the filling. Before sealing, gently dab or mist a bit of water over the circle rims. Fold over the empty half and use a fork to crimp and seal the edges.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a medium pot to 340°F. Fry the cassatelle, 4-5 at a time, turning them after about 2 minutes so that they turn golden on both sides.

Alternatively, if baking, place cassatelle on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes until golden

Use a slotted spoon to remove the cassatelle from the oil. Drain on paper towels.

Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar and sprinkle with a little bit of flaky sea salt. Serve warm.

To store:

Place the cooled cassatelle in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Just before serving, gently reheat in the oven at 325°F until warmed through and re-dust with powdered sugar.