DOLCE delights

Bake these mouth-watering morsels and capture the essence of Italy

Rosemary, orange & almond Cassatelle di Agira

MAKES 18 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION)

1 Sift flour and caster sugar into a large bowl. Stir in butter and egg until a dough forms. Turn dough onto a floured work surface and knead for 2 minutes or until smooth. Divide dough in half. Flatten each to a disc and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

2 Combine ricotta, dried figs, almonds, orange rind and rosemary in a medium bowl.

3 Preheat oven to 170°C/ 150°C fan. Line two oven trays with baking paper.

4 Roll one portion of dough between two sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Cut 8cm rounds from dough and place on lined trays. Repeat with remaining dough portion, then scraps, to make 18 rounds in total. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

5 Spoon 1 heaped teaspoon of ricotta mixture in the centre of each pastry round. Fold pastry over to enclose filling. Using the edge of a spoon, crimp the edge to seal. Place on lined trays.

6 Bake pastries for 25 minutes or until pale golden and cooked through. Leave on trays to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

7 Serve dusted heavily with icing sugar. Undusted pastries are suitable to freeze.

Amaretti