When I read about these traditions I dive right in and here is the cake from Cervia (RA) actually the sweet of the maidens, prepared for the Sposalizio del Mare in the lovely Romagna town on Ascension Day.
Meanwhile, since I’m a nitpicker I went to check how to spell zittella and it can be written both with a single T or with double T!
The Sposalizio del Mare is a very famous, highly popular tourist event that sees the town transformed and animated with exhibitions, cultural events and gastronomy for the weekend, all in the spirit of Cervia’s tradition.
This Romagna tradition seems to trace back to a similar event that took place in the Republic of Venice until its decline in 1797.
It is said that the protagonist of the story is Pietro Barbo, Bishop of Cervia, who was later raised to the papal throne with the name Pope Paul II 
On Ascension Day in 1445, returning from a mission to Venice, he was surprised by a furious storm at sea and the story says that the sea calmed when the Bishop threw his ring into the waves.
On the day of the Sposalizio del Mare the town of Cervia wants to relive the atmosphere of that moment, sharing with everyone the memory and traditions connected to that historical event.
It is a celebration with very ancient origins, a wish for serenity and prosperity.
This event, open to everyone, is celebrated by inviting an Italian town (this year Cortina d’Ampezzo) and personalities from the arts and culture; some of them actively participate in the event, taking on the roles of the Ring Lady and the Podestà.
During the costume procession in Cervia I read that some bakeries prepare and sell their version of the sweet of the maidens and it seems there is one that is unbeatable for its great deliciousness!
During the Sposalizio del Mare the bishop blesses the sea using a Latin formula and then throws into the waves the ring engraved with the day’s date and decorated with a tricolor ribbon or a red ribbon; some swimmers bravely dive in to retrieve it!
According to tradition, the pastoral ring will bring good luck for a whole year to whoever retrieves it, and will also protect his partner if the ring is worn on the finger.
If, unfortunately, the ring sinks to the bottom of the sea, the town will be struck by misfortunes.
After the ceremony of the Sposalizio del Mare, the various boats return to port and the Fishermen’s Club opens to visitors for a dinner based on blue fish!
The recipe for the sweet of the maidens was created by the Cervia Hospitality Institute IPSEOA, after careful research into past culinary traditions and using zero-kilometer products, the result of the work of local farmers and other entrepreneurs.
Besides the sweet of the maidens, another product linked to Cervia’s Sposalizio del Mare is the pane della Sensia, a round loaf stamped with a cross.
The sweet is definitely good, the flavor is balanced and all the ingredients marry wonderfully!
I MUST SAY I GO CRAZY FOR THESE TRADITIONAL REGIONAL RECIPES, I REALLY GET EMOTIONAL WHILE WRITING THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I opened a recipes channel open to everyone and free on WhatsApp — no notifications and no sound — you can subscribe by clicking this link https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaHbGIn9cDDig7Cw2x0F and every day you can read one sweet and one savory recipe!
IN MY DEFENSE regarding the thickness of the shortcrust pastry I admit I’m not at my own kitchen, I don’t have baking pans, I don’t have a rolling pin, but stubborn as I am I wanted to capture the idea and make the recipe… thanks for understanding!
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On the subject of traditional recipes I also suggest the
SAN MICHELE CAKE a Romagna cake from Bagnacavallo prepared every year on September 29!
Also the SAN MARTINO CAKE
is worth mentioning; it is prepared on November 11 and has a very interesting history which you can read here → 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
- Cooking time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Emilia-Romagna
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients — SHORTCRUST PASTRY RECIPE
I also leave you this article with the SIMILI SISTERS’ SHORTCRUSTS
READ HERE → https://blog.giallozafferano.it/asilannablu/la-pasta-frolla-delle-sorelle-simili-5-ricette-di-base/
- 3.2 oz granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 oz vegetable oil (I used corn)
- 10.6 oz all-purpose flour (00)
- to taste lemon aroma (lemon zest or vanilla seeds as desired)
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder for sweets
- 2 eggs
- 4.6 oz sugar
- 4.6 oz butter
- 7 oz almond flour
- 11.6 oz blackberry jam (I only found the Rigoni blackberry jam)
- 1.8 oz pine nuts
- 1/4 cup Alchermes
- 10.6 oz sponge cake (pan di Spagna)
Tools — SWEET OF THE MAIDENS RECIPE (Sposalizio del Mare Cervia)
ROUND PAN 8 IN
- Pans
- 2 Bowls
- Spatulas
- Sugar shaker
Preparation for the SWEET OF THE MAIDENS (Sposalizio del Mare Cervia)
In a mixing bowl put the sugar and the eggs, then add the vegetable oil and the flavoring you prefer — lemon or vanilla.
Add the sifted baking powder with the flour and begin to knead with your hands, forming a soft, homogeneous dough ball.
If it still seems sticky, add a little more flour: it’s important that the shortcrust dough does not stick to your fingers!
You will have a little dough leftover with these quantities which you can freeze or use to make cookies or small filled pastries with jam as you like.
Let it rest for 30 minutes by wrapping the dough ball with plastic wrap.
FRANGIPANE CREAM
For the frangipane cream simply mix the soft butter with the eggs, the sugar and the almond flour, creating a smooth cream.Prepare the dessert by rolling out a layer of shortcrust pastry and lining the edges of a pan about 8–9 in. in diameter.
Then spread a layer of blackberry jam and add a few pine nuts here and there.
Place slices of sponge cake, soak them with the Alchermes, spread more blackberry jam and the pine nuts, then cover everything with the frangipane cream, leveling well.
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THE SPONGE CAKE YOURSELF here is the recipe → https://blog.giallozafferano.it/asilannablu/pan-di-spagna-ricetta-base/
All that’s left is to bake the SWEET OF THE MAIDENS at 338°F for about 40–45 minutes, but always check !!!!!!!!!!
Once cool, dust the sweet of the maidens with powdered sugar and serve!
This is a dessert that requires a long cooling time and, in any case, it is even better the next day!
Enjoy! Annalisa
SO…..
I CERTAINLY USED MORE BLACKBERRY JAM than the recipe I read
I USED FEWER PINE NUTS
I CERTAINLY USED STRAIGHT ALCHERMES; MAYBE I COULD HAVE DILUTED IT BUT I SWEAR I DIDN’T TASTE IT WHEN I TRIED IT
SURELY THE PASTRY, ESPECIALLY THE BASE, IS TOO THICK but… tasting the Sweet of the Maidens the next day it’s not that tall 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 then adapted by me, original read here
