Calabria holds a treasure of Christmas sweets that tells of centuries of tradition and pastry knowledge, which goes beyond the famous mostaccioli. Authentic wonders that transform every holiday table into a journey through the aromas of honey, dried fruit and spices. Three preparations in particular deserve to be rediscovered and brought to kitchens throughout Italy: cassatelle, turdilli and pitta ‘mpigliata represent the most authentic soul of Calabrian Christmas.
Calabrian Cassatelle: golden crescents filled with sweetness
Casstelle are fried sweet ravioli that resemble crescents in appearance and hide inside a delicious filling made from chickpeas and chocolate. The origin lies in peasant traditions, when simple ingredients became an excuse to create something special during the holidays.
Ingredients for the pasta:
Ingredients for the filling:
Ingredients for cooking:
Procedure:
Start by preparing the filling the night before: soak the chickpeas in cold water. The next day, drain them and cook them in plenty of water until they are soft. Pass the still hot chickpeas through a food mill to obtain a smooth puree, then add the dark chocolate – finely chopped, please – the sugar, the grated orange zest and a sprinkling of cinnamon, then carefully mix all the ingredients and let the mixture cool.
For the dough, arrange the flour on a pastry board and in the center add the sugar, softened lard, eggs, yeast, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Knead working from the center outwards until the mixture is smooth and elastic, then wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until you create a thin sheet of about 2-3 millimetres, then cut out discs using a round pastry cutter of about 8-10 centimeters in diameter. Place a generous teaspoon of filling in the center of each disc, then fold the dough into a crescent shape and seal the edges well by pressing with the tines of a fork.
Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the cassatelle a few at a time, turning them when they are evenly browned, drain them on absorbent paper and, while still hot, pass them in granulated sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Calabrian turdilli: crunchy spirals with the scent of citrus fruits
Turdilli are pancakes with a characteristic shape that resembles those of gnocchi. The crunchy texture and delicate flavor enriched by honey make it an excellent choice throughout the Christmas period.
Ingredients:
Procedure:
Pour the flour onto the pastry board creating the classic fountain, and in the center arrange the eggs, sugar, softened butter, grated lemon zest and pinch of salt. Start kneading by gradually incorporating the flour until you obtain a homogeneous and smooth mixture, then wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Take the dough and divide it into smaller portions to work it better. Roll out each portion with a rolling pin, creating a thin sheet of dough approximately 2 millimeters thick, then cut the sheet of pastry into strips approximately 2 centimeters wide and 15-20 centimeters long. At this point, take each strip and knot it on itself, creating a bow or spiral shape, according to the tradition of the area. If you want, you could also twist them slightly to obtain a wavy shape.
Heat plenty of oil in a high-sided pan and fry the turdilli, a few at a time. until they take on a nice golden colour, then drain them on absorbent paper to eliminate excess oil.
Heat the honey in a saucepan until it becomes fluid, arrange the turdilli on a serving plate and pour the hot honey over them, stirring gently to distribute it evenly. Complete with a sprinkling of colored sprinkles and leave to cool before serving.
Pitta ‘mpigliata: the queen of Calabrian desserts
Pitta ‘mpigliata is probably the Calabrian Christmas dessert par excellence. The name derives from the braided shape which resembles a garland and hides a very rich filling of dried fruit and honey. This dessert represents the abundance and prosperity that is hoped for in the new year.
Ingredients for the pasta:
Ingredients for the filling:
Procedure:
Prepare the filling by soaking the raisins in warm water for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, finely chop the walnuts and mix them in a bowl with the sugar, grated citrus peel, cinnamon and cloves.
Heat the honey in a saucepan until it becomes liquid, then drain the raisins, squeeze them well and add them to the walnut mixture. Pour the hot honey and mix all the ingredients until you obtain a homogeneous and sticky filling.
For the pasta, arrange the flour in a mound on the pastry board, and in the center add the oil, the white wine and the pinch of salt. Knead vigorously until the mixture is smooth and elastic, then let the dough rest covered for about 30 minutes. Then, roll out the dough with a rolling pin, creating a thin rectangle about 3 millimeters thick and spread the filling evenly over the entire surface, leaving an edge of about 2 centimeters free to make it easier to close. Roll the dough on itself starting from the long side, obtaining a compact roll, then fold the roll in a spiral on itself, creating a spiral shape that resembles a garland, then transfer the pitta onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Cook in a preheated oven at 180°C for around 40-45 minutes, checking that the surface takes on a nice golden colour, and leave to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Happy holidays and bon appetit!
