Migliaccio di Semolino (Semolina and Ricotta Cake)
By David PazmiñoPublished on May 31, 2021
Time
1¾ hours, plus 14 hours resting and chilling
Yield
Serves 8 to 12
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Make the cake a day ahead of serving so that it has ample time to set up in the refrigerator. We developed this recipe using Bob's Red Mill No. 1 Durum Wheat Semolina Flour. If this product is not available, substitute Cream of Wheat cereal, which is similar. Avoid very fine semolina flour that is often sold in small paper bags. We like the richness of whole milk in this recipe, but feel free to substitute 2 percent or 1 percent if that's what you have on hand; avoid skim milk. We don't recommend using part-skim or skim ricotta. This cake is great served on its own, but you can serve it with fresh berries, if desired. If you like, use fiori di Sicilia in place of the vanilla extract.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9-inch springform pan with softened butter; dust with granulated sugar and knock out excess.
- Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat eggs on medium-low speed until combined. Add ricotta, liqueur, and vanilla and mix on medium speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Mix semolina and granulated sugar in small bowl until combined. Heat milk, lemon zest, orange zest, cardamom, salt, and butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture registers 180 degrees. Off heat, pour semolina mixture into milk mixture in very slow stream, whisking constantly, until smooth. Return saucepan to heat and stir constantly with wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from side of saucepan, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add one-third of semolina mixture to ricotta mixture and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Add remaining semolina mixture in 2 additions, mixing after each addition until incorporated. Continue to mix, scraping down bowl as needed, until mostly smooth (it's OK if some small lumps remain), 3 to 5 minutes longer.
- Set prepared pan in rimmed baking sheet and transfer batter to pan. Bake until top is golden brown, edges are slightly puffed (some slight cracking is OK), and center is slightly jiggly, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- Transfer cake, still on sheet, to wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Run knife around edge of cake to loosen. Unlock pan ring, but leave ring in place. Let cool completely, 1½ to 2 hours. Refasten ring. Refrigerate cake until firm and thoroughly chilled, at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours. To unmold cake, remove side of pan. Slide thin metal spatula between cake and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving platter. Let cake stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle top with confectioners’ sugar. Slice with sharp knife, wiping knife clean between cuts. Serve.
Time
1¾ hours, plus 14 hours resting and chillingYield
Serves 8 to 12Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
The category of cakes known as migliaccio has ancient roots in Italian cuisine. While it was once prepared from leftover millet porridge (“migliaccio” means “millet”) and enriched with nutrient-dense pig's blood, the dessert that is enjoyed today is decidedly more refined. Our recipe is similar to the style prepared in Naples. To make it, we started by preparing a porridge of semolina flour, milk, butter, sugar, lemon and orange zests, and ground cardamom. Next, we combined the warm mush with a mixture of ricotta cheese, eggs, vanilla, and orange liqueur. We scraped the batter into a buttered and sugared springform pan, baked it for about an hour, let it cool, and refrigerated it overnight to ensure that it would be firm enough to slice. The result was a highly aromatic, slightly sweet, velvety treat evocative of a traditional yellow cake crossed with a flan.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
Make the cake a day ahead of serving so that it has ample time to set up in the refrigerator. We developed this recipe using Bob's Red Mill No. 1 Durum Wheat Semolina Flour. If this product is not available, substitute Cream of Wheat cereal, which is similar. Avoid very fine semolina flour that is often sold in small paper bags. We like the richness of whole milk in this recipe, but feel free to substitute 2 percent or 1 percent if that's what you have on hand; avoid skim milk. We don't recommend using part-skim or skim ricotta. This cake is great served on its own, but you can serve it with fresh berries, if desired. If you like, use fiori di Sicilia in place of the vanilla extract.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9-inch springform pan with softened butter; dust with granulated sugar and knock out excess.
- Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat eggs on medium-low speed until combined. Add ricotta, liqueur, and vanilla and mix on medium speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Mix semolina and granulated sugar in small bowl until combined. Heat milk, lemon zest, orange zest, cardamom, salt, and butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture registers 180 degrees. Off heat, pour semolina mixture into milk mixture in very slow stream, whisking constantly, until smooth. Return saucepan to heat and stir constantly with wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from side of saucepan, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add one-third of semolina mixture to ricotta mixture and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Add remaining semolina mixture in 2 additions, mixing after each addition until incorporated. Continue to mix, scraping down bowl as needed, until mostly smooth (it's OK if some small lumps remain), 3 to 5 minutes longer.
- Set prepared pan in rimmed baking sheet and transfer batter to pan. Bake until top is golden brown, edges are slightly puffed (some slight cracking is OK), and center is slightly jiggly, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- Transfer cake, still on sheet, to wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Run knife around edge of cake to loosen. Unlock pan ring, but leave ring in place. Let cool completely, 1½ to 2 hours. Refasten ring. Refrigerate cake until firm and thoroughly chilled, at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours. To unmold cake, remove side of pan. Slide thin metal spatula between cake and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving platter. Let cake stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle top with confectioners’ sugar. Slice with sharp knife, wiping knife clean between cuts. Serve.
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