Skip to content

Sicilian Cooking

sicilan-LOGO-2-1
WhatsApp Image 2021-09-27 at 9.33.48 PM

Virgin's Breasts Palermo Style (Cassatine)

( Cassatine del Monastero di Santa Maria delle Vergini )

The monastery of Santa Maria delle Vergini, which had a retail shop in the back of the convent in Piazza Venezia, was famous for Minne di Vergine (or Minni ri Virgini, in Sicilian) filled with eggless custard (Biancomangiare) combined with a sweet squash preserve (Zuccata).  Minne di Vergine for modesty and finesse were called Cassatine by the nuns: they are round pastries in the shape of a small breast, with an outer layer of pasta frolla (shortbread dough) and on the inside a combination of creams flavored with pleasant spices.

The nuns made two varieties of Cassatine: one stuffed with ricotta cream and one type with a combination of eggless custard and a preserve preferably pumpkin or preserved fruits prepared in the convent. The baked Virgins’ Breasts filled with ricotta cream were covered with a light icing, usually white, sometimes in exciting colors and decorated with a cherry to symbolize the nipple; the Minne di Vergine filled with eggless custard were sprinkled with powdered sugar.

2-8
  • Yield8 to 12 Cassatine
  • Sicilian DessertsCassatine - Virgin's Breasts Palermo Style

    Ingredients

    For the Dough

    • 1 lb. all purpose flour (4 cups+1 tablespoon )
    • ½ lb. granulated sugar (1 cup)
    • ½ lb. sweet butter at room temperature (1 cup or 2 sticks)
    • 1 tablespoon of honey
    • 5 medium egg yolks, lightly beaten
    • grated rinds from 1 lemon
    • ½ teaspoon of baking powder
    • pinch of salt
    • Extra ¼ of a cup of all purpose flour

    For the filling with Biancomangiare (Eggless Custard)

    For the Filling with Ricotta Cream

    • Make half  of Ricotta Cream recipe
    • Chocolate shavings
    • Diced candied citron
    • 1 tablespoon of sugar flavored with a generous pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of ground ginger
    • Egg whites

    Other Ingredients:

    • Prepare the glaze recipe
    • 2 eggs beaten with 4 tablespoons of milk for the egg-wash
    • Candied Cherries

    Instructions

    For the Dough

    1
    1. Mound flour on a flat surface and form a well or place into a bowl. Add the sugar, butter, eggs, salt, honey and zest of a half of the lemon.
    2. Use your hands and mix it until it will shape into coarse crumbs of diverse sizes.
    3. Knead and bring the mixture together to form a ball. Fold and press with the palm of your hands; if dough is sticky, add some more flour, if it is too dry add a few tablespoons of water, to moisten it.
    4. Do not over mix. Do not handle dough more than necessary.
    5. Form dough into a single mass and cover with a clean kitchen rag or with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough from 30 minutes to 1 hour.
    2

    THE CASSATINE
    Divide dough in 2 pieces and kneads briefly to compact; on a well floured working surface, roll out one piece to 3/8 of an inch thick. Using a round cutter (or the rim of a glass) 3 inches across, cut 8 to 10 circles and set on a floured pan. Knead the other piece of dough with any scrapes, compact it and roll it out 3/8 of inch thick. Using a round cutter (or the rim of a glass) 3 inches across cut 8 to 10 circles and set on a floured pan. Set leftover scraps on the side. 

    Place half of the disks on the baking sheet and Brush with the egg wash. Then,  place the filling (prepared wither with ricotta cream or eggless cream )  in the center of each disk. Cover with another disk and press all around to seal.

    For the Cassatine with Ricotta Cream

    3
    1. Place in the center of each disk a full teaspoon of ricotta cream, a few pieces of diced candied citron, some chocolate shavings and a pinch of flavored sugar. Cover each pastry with another disk and press all around to seal.
    2. Place each pastry onto a greased baking sheet 2 inches apart and as you transfer them, with your cupped hands, try to shape into a semi-sphere with a culminating point, resembling a little breast.
    3. Brush with beaten with egg whites.
    4. Bake the pastries at 375F for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are a golden color.
    5. Place pastries on a clean baking pan.
    6. Prepare a lemon flavored glace (see recipe). Use a brush or deep into glaze to cover each pastry.
    7. Garnish each Cassatine with a half of a candied cherry and place on a small paper doily or a small serving dish.
    8. Keep refrigerated and bring to room temperature before serving.

    For the Cassatine with Eggless Custard (Biancomangiare)

    4
    1. Place in the center of each disk a teaspoon of cream and just under a teaspoon of pumpkin preserve.
    2. Sprinkle a few pieces of diced candied citron and a pinch of flavored sugar. 
    3. Cover each pastry with another disk and press all around to seal.
    4. Place each pastry onto a greased baking sheet 2 inches apart and as you transfer them, with your cupped hands, try to shape into a semi-sphere with a culminating point, resembling a little breast.
    5. Brush with beaten egg whites.
    6. Use the leftover scrapes to crown the top of each Cassatina (Minne di Vergine) with a piece of dough, the size and the shape of a cherry.
    7. Bake the pastries at 375F for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are a golden color.
    8. Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with powdered sugar.