Traditionally baked in Campania, Italy, for Shrove Tuesday, its name is from the miglio (millet) once used to make it, now replaced by semolina.
Serves 12
Ingredients
400ml whole milk
¼ tsp salt
180g semolina
60g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
3 medium eggs
250g caster sugar
250g ricotta, drained
Zest of 1 unwaxed orange
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp orange blossom water
100g dark chocolate chips
Icing sugar, for dusting
To Make
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/ Gas 4. Grease a 23cm springform tin and line with baking paper.
2 Put the milk, 400ml of water and salt in a pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and gradually add the semolina, whisking vigorously. Keep whisking for 2-3 mins to produce a thick paste, then take the pan off the heat and, while hot, add the butter. Stir well, then pour into a wide tray. Line the surface with plastic wrap and set aside to cool.
3 Put the eggs and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk at high speed until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture looks pale and frothy. With the mixer still going, add the ricotta, a spoonful at a time. Remove the plastic wrap from the semolina and break into chunks. While the mixer is still going, add the chunks to the egg mixture in batches, making sure each one is incorporated before adding more.
4 Add the orange and lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange blossom water to the mixture and whisk.
5 Add the chocolate chips and fold in by hand with a spoon or spatula.
6 Spoon the batter into the tin and level the surface. Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for 85-90 mins, or until the edges start browning and the surface turns golden with large cracks; it’ll have a slight wobble if shaken. Leave the cake to cool in the tin – it’ll deflate as soon as it leaves the oven, but this is normal. Once cool, transfer to a serving plate and dust with icing sugar before serving.
Cook’s note: Migliaccio can be stored in an airtight container or the fridge, but it should always be wrapped in plastic wrap to avoid drying out. It’s best served at room temperature.
Taken from Giuseppe’s Easy Bakes by Giuseppe Dell’Anno (Quadrille). Photography: Matt Russell
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