Something quick for unexpected guests!

My visit to Vieste has yielded so many unexpected and life changing experiences. The biggest revelation was the hotel. I was delighted when I saw the Baia Degli Aranci Hotel, the location was perfect, just across from the beach.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that we were not registered there but at another hotel in Vieste with a similar name the Hotel Degli Aranci. However, through a mix-up, the directions provided to us led right to my cousin, Luisa BeviIacqua, which in turn led us to my grandfather’s nephews. The wrong hotel led us to the best hotel!  Now we have the Italian family connection!

Facebook has provided me with continuing friendship to the all the people we met in Vieste. On our last day in Vieste, as we were saying our goodbyes, Luisa introduced me to another hotel employee by the name of Nella. She mentioned that Nella had planned a trip to Rhode Island in November to visit her family, who owned a bakery.

That bakery is Solitro’s on Cranston Street. Using the translator application on my phone, I told her of a baker, named Solitro who delivered bread to our home every morning when I was a child. Suddenly, I was wrapped in her arms with tears streaming down her cheeks as she told me that the baker was a family member.

Now the story doesn’t end there. Last month, after receiving a heavenly maternal nudge to change the flowers on the grave at St. Ann’s cemetery, on a whim I stopped at Solitro’s Bakery. I decided to ask if they had any visitors from Vieste. To my delight the answer was yes, and they were still in Rhode Island. After several phone calls with Dolly Solitro Rossi, Nella’s cousin, a surprise breakfast visit was arranged. Dolly explained that Nella had spoken about meeting us in Italy. When I walked into the restaurant, Nella immediately recognized me, once again I was wrapped in a hug and kissed. Nella, her sister-in law Amelia and her brother, Michele were here in America for the first time, in fact it was the first time they had ever flown. With Amelia and Dolly translating, we had a delightful visit, with photos taken to memorialize the day. Now I had two more Facebook connections and plans to visit them on our return to Vieste in 2020.

I decided to give you a remarkably simple, but elegant recipe.  It something you can make in the morning for guests at night. You can use either angel food or pound cake, homemade or store bought. My advice is to buy the better-quality pound cake and a good quality ricotta cheese. It can be put together quickly but needs to chill for a few hours.

Chocolate Pistachio Cassata

One 10” x 6” (good quality) pound cake

1 1/2 pounds whole milk ricotta

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons orange liqueur

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips, chopped

1/2 cup candied orange peel, chopped

1 teaspoons orange zest

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup sweetened cocoa powder

Directions:

Shave the browned top, bottom and sides from the pound cake and discard the shavings. Cut the cake horizontally into 4 even slices.

Push the ricotta through a sieve into a large bowl. Sift the confectioners’ sugar over the cheese add 2 tablespoons of the orange liqueur, vanilla and zest; beat into until mixed. Fold in the chopped chocolate, candied orange peel and pistachios.

In a small saucepan, heat the water with the granulated sugar until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of orange liqueur. Line a 10”x6” loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing 6 inches of overhang all around. Brush 1 side of 1 cake slice with the orange syrup and set it, dry side down, into the pan. Spread one-third of the ricotta filling over the cake in the pan. Brush both sides of a second cake slice with orange syrup and set it in the pan. Cover with another third of the ricotta filling, another brushed cake slice and the remaining ricotta. Brush the last cake slice on only 1 side and set it on the ricotta, dry side up.

Cover with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Invert the cake onto a platter and discard the plastic. Sift the cocoa on top. Cut the cake into 1-inch slices and serve. This makes 10 servings and can be made ahead. The cassata can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.