The Ragusani Tomasini could be described as single-serving Ragusani scacce with a characteristic spiral shape.
In fact, the dough that encloses the filling made of sausage, ricotta, and Ragusano caciocavallo is the same as scacce and therefore made with durum wheat semolina, water, yeast, oil, and salt.
However, ingredients such as pan-cooked onion, like I did, or chopped hard-boiled eggs can be added to the filling, a bit like the Neapolitan Tortano.
Just like the Tortano in Naples, the Ragusani Tomasini are prepared throughout Sicily during Easter but are perfect for any other festive occasion or a simple outing or a picnic in the park.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then…let’s COOK and EAT!!
See also
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 14
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients
- 4 cups cups re-milled durum wheat semolina
- 1¼ cups cups water
- 2 teaspoons teaspoons fresh brewer's yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups cups ricotta
- 14 oz oz sausages
- Half onion
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- 3.5 oz oz caciocavallo (+ extra for the surface)
- to taste parsley
- to taste black pepper
- 1 egg (for the surface)
Tools
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Plastic Wrap
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Metal Scraper
- 1 Baking Tray
- 1 Parchment Paper
Steps
To prepare the Ragusani Tomasini, first, proceed with the leavened dough.
I used the stand mixer, however, the dough is easy to work by hand since it doesn’t have a high hydration (60%).
In the stand mixer bowl, gather the semolina and crumble the fresh brewer’s yeast inside, then attach the spiral hook for kneading.
Start the mixer and begin to add half of the water provided by the recipe in a stream, then add the salt and continue to add, always in a stream, the remaining water.
When the dough starts to come together, add the oil and slightly increase the speed of the mixer, continuing to knead until the dough is smooth and homogeneous.
Transfer the dough into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise until it doubles in size. In my case, it took about 3 hours, but as I always like to remind, rising times are indicative as they are influenced by the external temperature.
Meanwhile, focus on the filling. Peel, wash, and thinly slice the onion and stew it in a pan with a drizzle of oil. In a bowl, gather the well-drained ricotta and the crumbled sausage from which you have removed the casing.
Add the pan-cooked onion, the grated caciocavallo, a pinch of salt, and mix all the ingredients together.
Once the dough has risen, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. With the help of a rolling pin, roll out the dough to obtain a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
Spread the filling over the entire surface of the dough rectangle along with the chopped parsley, then, starting from the long side, gently roll it up on itself, until you get a filled dough roll.
To make a clean cut and obtain the individual Ragusani Tomasini from the roll, I used dental floss (which I always keep among my kitchen tools and use in such circumstances), of course, you can use a scraper or a sharp knife. As they are ready, transfer the tomasini to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and brush them with the beaten egg.
Add a bit more grated caciocavallo and some ground black pepper on top.
Bake the Ragusani Tomasini in a preheated static oven at 392°F for 25-30 minutes.
Once out of the oven, let them cool slightly before enjoying them 😉.
