Migliaccio (Neapolitan Ricotta Pie)
Migliaccio is semolina based cake made with ricotta, lemon, and vanilla. The texture is much different than a traditional American Cheesecake, more or a a melt-in-your-mouth mousse texture that is just delicious.
We have semolina at home and typically use it for making fresh pasta, but every so often I incorporate it into desserts, such as cookies or this ricotta pie. It's easy found at Italian markets or well-stocked grocery stores, or simply ordered online.
Special equipment needed:
Food scale
Springform pan
Ingredients:
250 grams semolina flour
250 grams fresh ricotta cheese
3/4 c milk
2 1/4 of water
1/4 c of butter
4 eggs
300 grams of sugar
Peel of one lemon
2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons limoncello (optional, but recommended)
Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions:
Prepare a springform pan by placing parchment paper inside. Butter parchment paper to avoid cake sticking to it.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium saucepan, add milk, water, butter and lemon peel over medium high heat. Let milk boil, but be careful not to let it burn. Remove pan from heat and carefully remove lemon peels. Add in semolina, stirring with a wooden spoon, breaking down any large clumps of semolina. It will be VERY thick and difficult to stir -- that's ok!
Cover semolina mixture with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap against it, to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool slightly while you prepare ricotta mixture.
*Letting it cool is important, if too hot it will scramble the eggs in your ricotta mixture, be patient!
In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachement, add ricotta and eggs, one at a mine. Mix until each egg is combined and then add sugar, vanilla extract and limoncello.
Spoon in your semolina mixture, making sure each spoonful is well incorporated before adding the next. Again, you don't want lumps of semolina, but the batter will not be perfectly smooth.
Once all is combined, pour batter into springform pan and bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes to an hour. The center will be slightly jiggly when you take it out, that is ok!
Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
Buon Appetito!