Casasta from Caserta Italy

This recipe comes from my Great grandmother Maria  from Caserta Italy. She died at nearly 100 years old in 1986. So just take a minute and realize how far back this recipe truly goes. It's been passed down all through my family and I'm sharing it with YOU!  This is Not to be mistaken for the Sicilian Cassata. This is from Caserta which is just north of Naples. The spelling is different and so is how it's made.
I have grown up eating this all my life. I have never been able to make her recipe until now. My mother FINALLY shared it! I was overly happy to say the least to share this with my son this Easter.
Now the one that I will be sharing is without "crust". It's a simpler version all together. I will be explaining how the "original" is made but will not be sharing exact measurements. Sorry but such a sacred family treasure sometimes can just not be revealed. For me to share one of the recipes is huge. I can't categorize this dessert as a cake, pie or anything else. It truly is in a class of it's own. It's almost like a hard pudding if I had to describe it at all.   Now for the drum roll please..........


1 1/2 pounds of Ricotta
1/4 pound Huge Hershey Bar, grated. (7 oz)
1 1/2 dozen eggs (yes that's right 18 eggs)
1 cup sugar
dash of cinnamon


Grease a 13x9 baking dish.
Preheat oven to 350


In a very large mixing bowl crack all the eggs. With a mixer, mix the eggs until well blended. Next mix in the sugar, ricotta and cinnamon. Once it's all incorporated you want to fold in the grated chocolate. Pour into your baking dish and bake for 1 hr. You WILL need more baking time. Now I can't tell you exactly how much more because it's honestly different every time. I would suggest to check it every five minutes or so after the one hour. What you are looking for is to insert a knife just as you would a cake. When it comes out wet but with nothing stuck on it, then it's done. You want to let it cool completely. Cut it in squares and serve. Put any left overs in the fridge. However if you love this recipe as much as my family has for many many years, there won't be any left overs!  Now this is one way to eat it.


The other way is with a "crust". It isn't an actual crust but it's how my grandmother would have described it. You use shortening to make it and it's almost like a cookie dough when pressed into the baking dish. Then you make a similar recipe like the one from above. But you more then triple it! That's all that I can share........