Cassata

For people with the surname, see Cassata (surname).

Cassata (/kəˈsɑːtə/ kə-SAH-tə) or cassata siciliana (Italian: [kasˈsaːta sitʃiˈljaːna]; Sicilian: [ka(s)ˈsaːta sɪʃɪˈljaːna]) is an Italian cake originating in the Sicily region.^[1][2][3] It is typically composed of a round sponge cake moistened with fruit juices or liqueur and layered with ricotta cheese and candied fruit (a filling also used with cannoli). It has a shell of marzipan, pink and green colored icing, and decorative designs. Cassata may also refer to a Neapolitan ice cream containing candied or dried fruit and nuts.

Cassata

Alternative names	Cassata siciliana
Place of origin	Italy
Region or state	Sicily
Main ingredients	Sponge cake, fruit juice or liqueur, ricotta, candied peel, marzipan, icing
Variations	Cassata al forno ('in oven'), cassatella di sant'Agata
Media: Cassata

Origin

Cassata

A slice of cassata al forno, almond pastries (right), and a cassatina siciliana (left)

Cassata is believed to have originated in Palermo in the 10th century, when under Emirate of Sicily.^[4][5] The word al-qaššāṭī—القشاطي (Arabic for 'the cassata-maker')—was first mentioned in Corleone in 1178.^[6][7]

The Arabic word qas'ah, from which cassata may derive, refers to the bowl that is used to shape the cake.^[8][9]

Variations

Unlike the round, traditional shape some cassata are made in the form of a rectangle, square, or box. The word box in Italian is cassa, although it is unlikely that the word cassata originated from this term.^{[citation needed]}

Cassata catanese, as it is often prepared in the Sicilian province of Catania, is made similar to a pie, containing a top and bottom crust, filled with ricotta cheese, and baked in the oven.^{[citation needed]}

Cassatella di sant'Agata is a similar dessert, but made in a smaller, personal-serving size, with a candied cherry on top, and often a specifically green-colored marzipan. It is typically made in Catania for the festival of Saint Agatha. The allusion to the female breast relates the specific torture Saint Agatha faced as a Catholic martyr.^[10]

When a cassata is made, layers of gelato can be substituted for the layers of cheese, producing a dessert similar to an ice cream cake. The version of the recipe followed in Messina is less sweet than the one used in Palermo.^{[citation needed]}

See also

Media related to Cassata at Wikimedia Commons

• Italy portal
• Food portal

• List of Italian desserts and pastries
• List of cakes
• Tipsy cake
• Trifle
• Cassatella di sant'Agata