Migliaccio Napoletano

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 4-quart saucepan
• •10-inch springform pan
• •Wire whisk
• •Wooden spoon
• •Fine-mesh strainer for draining ricotta

Instructions

1. 1

   Drain the ricotta

   Set the ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Let it drain for at least one hour, or overnight in the refrigerator. Wet ricotta creates a soggy, weeping cake. You want ricotta that holds its shape when pressed. If you buy ricotta from an Italian market and it is already firm and dry, you may skip this step. Supermarket ricotta always needs draining.

   Press the ricotta gently with the back of a spoon to encourage drainage. Discard the liquid. What remains should feel like thick cream cheese.
2. 2

   Cook the semolina

   Pour the milk into a heavy 4-quart saucepan. Set it over medium heat and bring just to a simmer. You will see small bubbles forming at the edges. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the semolina in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. You must whisk without stopping for the first two minutes to prevent lumps. Continue cooking, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the mixture becomes very thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 10 minutes. It will look like thick polenta.

3. 3

   Add butter and cool

   Remove the pan from heat. Add the butter pieces and stir until completely melted and incorporated. The mixture should be glossy and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to release heat. The semolina must cool enough that it will not scramble the eggs, but it should still be warm to the touch.

4. 4

   Prepare the pan

   While the semolina cools, position a rack in the center of your oven. Heat to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan generously, then dust with fine semolina, tapping out the excess. This creates the characteristic golden crust that Neapolitans prize.

5. 5

   Combine the batter

   Add the sugar to the cooled semolina and stir until dissolved. Add the drained ricotta and mix thoroughly until no white streaks remain. The mixture should be smooth and homogeneous. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter will become lighter and more pourable. Stir in the orange blossom water, both citrus zests, and the salt.

   If you detect any lumps from the ricotta, press the mixture through a coarse strainer. Neapolitan home cooks are not fussy about this, but a smooth batter yields a more refined texture.
6. 6

   Bake the migliaccio

   Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until the top is deeply golden and the center is set but still trembles slightly when the pan is gently shaken, 55 to 65 minutes. A thin knife inserted near the center should come out clean, though it may have moist crumbs attached. This is correct. The cake continues cooking as it cools.

   Every oven differs. Begin checking at 50 minutes. The top should be the color of dark honey, with patches of deeper browning. Underbaking produces a gummy center. Overbaking dries the edges.
7. 7

   Cool and unmold

   Let the migliaccio cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This takes at least two hours. The cake is too fragile to unmold while warm. When fully cooled, run a thin knife around the edges and release the springform sides. Transfer to a serving plate. The cake will have settled slightly in the center. This is traditional.

8. 8

   Finish and serve

   Dust the top generously with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Cut into wedges with a sharp knife dipped in hot water between cuts. Migliaccio is served at room temperature, never warm and never cold from the refrigerator. Let chilled leftovers return to room temperature for one hour before serving.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out ricotta from an Italian market or make your own. The supermarket ricotta in plastic tubs contains stabilizers that affect both texture and flavor. If it is your only option, drain it overnight and accept the compromise.
• •Orange blossom water varies enormously in strength. Taste yours before measuring. If it is very potent, use less. The perfume should be present but not overpowering, a whisper rather than a shout.
• •The semolina must be fine, not coarse. Look for semola rimacinata, which is milled twice. Coarse semolina creates a grainy texture that no amount of cooking will correct.
• •Migliaccio improves on the second day. Make it the day before you plan to serve it. The flavors deepen and the texture becomes more cohesive as the cake rests.

Advance Preparation

• •The ricotta must drain for at least one hour, preferably overnight. Begin this step the day before baking.
• •The finished migliaccio keeps at room temperature, covered, for two days. In warm weather, refrigerate and return toroom temperature before serving.
• •This cake does not freeze well. The texture becomes grainy upon thawing. Make it fresh for each occasion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 165g)