Ingredients
For the dough
1 pound flour
1 egg
4 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons dry red wine
3 tablespoons lard (e.g. Tenderflake)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
For ricotta filling
1 pound ricotta
2 tablespoons chocolate, grated
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup sugar
Vegetable oil for deep frying
For decoration
about 1/8 cup icing sugar
Directions
To make the dough
o Place water in a saucepan. On low heat dissolve the sugar in it. Cool.
o Beat egg. Add vanilla and wine to it.
o Mix egg mixture with sugared water.
o Mix flour with baking powder.
o Incorporate wet ingredients with dry ones and work into a soft dough.
o Shape into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the fridge for 1/2 hour.
o Roll out the dough to about 1/8 of an inch and cut into 3 inch rounds.
o Heat up oil and fry until golden on both sides.
o Drain on kitchen towels.
o Cool.
To make the stuffing
o Using an electric bender, beat ricotta, sugar and almond extract until it has a creamy texture (about 5 minutes).
o Add chocolate to the ricotta mixture and mix well with a spatula.
o Add the grated orange and lemon zest and mix well.
To make the casatelle
o Spread about 1 tablespoon of the ricotta filling on a fried round. Top with another round. Spread another tablespoon of ricotta filling. Top with another round.
o Repeat until all the rounds are used.
o Store in fridge until needed.
o Prior to serving, dust with icing sugar.
Notes
Photo: Mary Melfi. | 
