As I read these traditions, I dive right in, and here is the cake of Cervia(RA) or rather the spinsters’ sweet, prepared on the occasion of the Marriage of the Sea in the charming town of Romagna on Ascension Day.
Meanwhile, since I’m a stickler, I went to check how to spell spinster and it is spelled both ways, with a double or single T!
The Marriage of the Sea is a very famous event attracting many tourists, turning the city into a lively place with exhibitions, cultural events, and gastronomy for the weekend, in the spirit of Cervia tradition.
This tradition seems to be related to a similar event that took place in the Republic of Venice until its decline in 1797.
The story revolves around Pietro Barbo, Bishop of Cervia, who ascended to the papal throne as Pope Paul II 
On Ascension Day in 1445, while returning from a mission in Venice, he was caught in a raging storm at sea, and the story explains that the sea calmed when the Bishop threw his ring into the waves.
On the day of the Marriage of the Sea, the city of Cervia wants to relive that moment, sharing with everyone the memory and traditions linked to that historical event.
It is a celebration with ancient origins, an omen of serenity and prosperity.
This event, open to everyone, is celebrated by inviting an Italian city (this year Cortina d’Ampezzo) and personalities from the arts and culture, some of whom actively participate in the event, dressing as the Lady of the Ring and the Podestà.
During the costume parade in Cervia, I read that some bakeries prepare and sell their version of the spinsters’ sweet, and it seems there is one that is unbeatable for its great taste!
During the Marriage of the Sea, the bishop blesses the sea using a Latin formula and then throws the ring with the day’s date and adorned with a tricolor or red ribbon into the waves, and some swimmers dive in with the challenging task of retrieving it!
According to tradition, the pastoral ring will bring luck for an entire year to whoever retrieves it, also protecting their partner if it is then worn on their finger.
If unfortunately, the ring ends up at the bottom of the sea, the city will be struck by misfortunes.
Once the Marriage of the Sea ceremony is over, the various boats return to the port, and the Fishermen’s Club opens to visitors for a dinner based on bluefish!
The recipe for the spinsters’ sweet was created by the Cervia IPSEOA Hotel Institute, after careful research on past culinary traditions and using zero-mile products, the result of the work of local farmers and other entrepreneurs.
Besides the spinsters’ sweet, another product linked to the Marriage of the Sea of Cervia is the Sensia bread, a round loaf with a cross engraved on it.
The sweet is definitely delicious, the taste is balanced, and all the ingredients blend wonderfully!
I MUST SAY THAT I GO CRAZY FOR THESE ITALIAN REGIONAL TRADITIONS; THEY REALLY MOVE ME WHILE I WRITE ABOUT THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I have opened a channel of recipes open to everyone, free on WhatsApp, no notifications or sounds, which you can subscribe to by clicking on the link here https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaHbGIn9cDDig7Cw2x0F and every day you can read a sweet and a savory recipe!
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IN MY DEFENSE regarding the thickness of the shortcrust pastry, I admit that I’m not at home, I don’t have baking sheets, I don’t have a rolling pin, but being stubborn, I wanted to grasp the idea and make the recipe… thank you for understanding!
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On the subject of traditional recipes, I also suggest the 
ST. MICHAEL’S SWEET Romagna cake from Bagnocavallo, prepared on September 29th every year!
Also, the ST. MARTIN’S SWEET
deserves a mention, a sweet prepared on November 11th with a very interesting history that you can read about → https://blog.giallozafferano.it/asilannablu/ricetta-dolce-di-san-martino/
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Emilia-Romagna
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients SHORTCRUST PASTRY RECIPE
I leave you also this article with the SHORTCRUST PASTRY OF THE SIMILI SISTERS
READ HERE → https://blog.giallozafferano.it/asilannablu/la-pasta-frolla-delle-sorelle-simili-5-ricette-di-base/
- 3/8 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 6 tbsp vegetable oil (for me corn)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- a pinch lemon aroma (lemon zest or vanilla bean seeds to taste)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 1/3 cups blackberry jam (I only found the blackberry one from Rigoni)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup alkermes
- 10 1/2 oz sponge cake
Tools SPINSTERS’ SWEET MARRIAGE OF THE SEA CERVIA
20 CM ROUND PAN
- Pans
- 2 Bowls
- Spatulas
- Sugar Duster
FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE SPINSTERS’ SWEET MARRIAGE OF THE SEA CERVIA
In a bowl, I put the sugar and eggs, then the vegetable oil and the aroma of your choice, lemon or vanilla.
I add the sifted baking powder with the flour and start kneading by hand, forming a soft and homogeneous dough.
If it remains sticky, I add a little more flour: it is important that the shortcrust pastry dough doesn’t stick to the fingers!
There will be a bit left over with these doses, which we can freeze or make cookies or ravioli filled with jam as desired.
Let it rest for 30 minutes by wrapping the dough with cling film
FRANGIPANE CREAM
For the frangipane cream, just mix the soft butter with the eggs, sugar, and almond flour, creating a soft cream.I prepare the cake by spreading a layer of shortcrust pastry and also covering the edges of the mold of about 8/9 inches.
Then spread a layer of blackberry jam adding some pine nuts here and there.
I then place the slices of sponge cake, drench with alkermes, spread more blackberry jam and pine nuts, and cover everything with the frangipane cream, leveling everything well.
IF YOU WANT TO PREPARE THE SPONGE CAKE here is the recipe → https://blog.giallozafferano.it/asilannablu/pan-di-spagna-ricetta-base/
All that’s left is to bake the SPINSTERS’ SWEET at 340°F for about 40/45 minutes but always check!!!!!!!!!!!
Once cool, sprinkle the spinsters’ sweet with powdered sugar and enjoy!
It’s a sweet that requires a lot of cooling time, and anyway, the next day, the sweet is even better!
Bon appetit! Annalisa
SO…..
SURELY I PUT MORE BLACKBERRY JAM than in the recipe I read
I PUT LESS PINE NUTS
SURELY I USED PURE ALKERMES, MAYBE I COULD HAVE DILUTED IT, BUT I SWEAR I DIDN’T TASTE IT AT THE TIME OF TASTING
SURELY THE SHORTCRUST, ESPECIALLY THE BASE, IS TOO THICK, but … tasting the Spinsters’ Sweet the next day, it’s not that thick because there are more textures, and this more structured base works well!
Start browsing my blog and read the LIST OF ALL RECIPES!
SOURCE
photo of the Pope here
recipe but then done my way read here
