Have you ever tasted Carnival migliaccio? It’s a typical sweet preparation from Campania, mainly made with semolina and ricotta. The so-called “semolina” used for preparing migliaccio is nothing more than regrinded coarse-grained durum wheat semolina, usually sold in 500-gram packages, not to be confused with semolina flour (regrinded or not), which has an impalpable, very fine consistency. The taste of this dessert, its soft, compact, and moist texture at the same time, and its aroma very closely resemble the filling of the famous Neapolitan “sfogliatelle.” It is a very rich and caloric recipe, but it’s worth tasting because it is a triumph of scents and flavors. Each family has its own recipe, varying the quantities of this or that ingredient. This one I’m proposing is my mother-in-law’s foolproof recipe that I also prepare.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 2 migliacci of 10 inches
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival
Ingredients
- 500 g Semolina
- 1 qt Milk
- 1 qt Water
- 2.2 lbs Sugar
- 5 tbsp Butter
- 500 g Cow ricotta
- 1 pinch Fine salt
- 6 Eggs (medium whole)
- 3 packets Vanillin (or slightly less than 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste)
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Orange blossom water
- to taste Lemon zest
- to taste Butter for the pan
Tools
- 2 Pans B08XZ9Q9DY
Preparation
With these quantities, we’ll get 2 migliacci; or 1 migliaccio, by halving the quantities of all ingredients.
Regarding the molds, the right size is 11 inches in diameter, and both springform pans and the typical 1.5-inch-tall aluminum ones for Neapolitan pastiera are suitable.
Let’s start preparing our migliacci.
In a large pot, heat water, grated lemon peel, milk, salt, sugar, and butter together. Cook over low heat, stirring until the mixture becomes hot (but not boiling).
At this point, slowly pour in the semolina in a fountain-like manner, continuously stirring with a steel whisk to avoid lumps, just like making polenta. Let it cook over low heat, stirring often, until all ingredients are perfectly combined and the liquid is completely absorbed. We should obtain a mixture that is very soft and compact at the same time.
Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly for about 20 minutes (do not let it cool completely), stirring occasionally with the steel whisk.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the ricotta (drained of any excess whey), vanillin or vanilla paste, cinnamon, orange blossom water, 3 whole eggs, and add them to the slightly cooled semolina mixture.
Using electric whisks, mix to perfectly combine the two mixtures.
After that, add the remaining eggs, one at a time, only adding the next one once the previous one is absorbed, until you obtain a mixture that is compact and soft at the same time, easy to mix, not hard. Since eggs don’t always have the same weight, if you notice that the mixture is already very soft after the fourth or fifth egg, do not add the sixth one to avoid making it too liquid.
Generously butter the pans and pour in the mixture, leveling it with a spoon (it should have a maximum thickness of 1 and a half fingers, like the slice in the photo) and bake in a preheated oven, on the middle rack, at 390°F for about 60 minutes (depending on your oven). The migliaccio is done when both the base and surface are caramel-colored. Remove from the oven, let it cool, and rest for at least a day before dusting with plenty of powdered sugar and enjoying.
Migliaccio can be stored at room temperature as long as it’s not hot, or otherwise in the fridge in a cake container.
Bon appetit
