Migliaccio

Migliaccio is a traditional sweet of the Carnival period, originating from Campania in Italy. It is a cake made with semolina, enriched with ricotta and flavored with lemon or orange zest. Here is the recipe for you:

Ingredients

• 500 ml of milk
• 250 ml of water
• 150 g of semolina
• 300 g of ricotta
• 200 g of sugar
• 4 eggs
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• Butter (as needed to grease the pan)
• Powdered sugar (for decoration)

Preparation

1. In a large pot, bring the milk to a boil with water and a pinch of salt.
2. Pour in the semolina slowly, stirring constantly with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Let it cook for about 10 minutes, until it thickens.
3. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool down.
4. Take the ricotta and pass it through a sieve to make it creamier.
5. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until you get a frothy mixture.
6. Add the sieved ricotta, lemon and orange zest and mix everything well.
7. Now incorporate the cooled cooked semolina, mixing gently until you get a smooth batter.
8. Prepare a cake pan by greasing it with butter and preheat the oven to 180 °C.
9. Pour the mixture into the pan and level it with a spatula.
10. Bake the Migliaccio for 50-60 minutes or until the surface becomes golden.
11. Let the cake cool down before unmolding it, and before serving, dust it with powdered sugar.

Curiosity

The name “Migliaccio” comes from “millet”, which was the main ingredient of the ancient version of this dessert, eaten already in Roman times. Over time, semolina has replaced millet, but the name of the dessert has remained unchanged. Migliaccio represents a connection with the culinary history of the Campania region and celebrates Carnival festivals with its sweetness and simplicity.