Easter recipe of the Messina tradition

The sciuscedduor ciuscello, a first It is traditionally made in the Sicilian tradition, especially from Messina Easter dinner. It is a dish based on meatballs dipped in hot broth and then covered with a soft one Ricotta cream, cheese and eggs, the so-called “conza”. This will puff up due to the heat of the oven, forming a light golden crust on the surface.

Trust me soft texture and sciusceddu, very similar to a glutinous, cheese souffle, is a rich and sumptuous dish, perfect for the holidays. Of very ancient and uncertain origin, this name seems to come from the Latin term juscellum, or “soup”; others argue that it comes from a dialect verb to dry, meaning “to blow”. Sciusceddu, in fact, must be served strictly fresh from the oven and very hot.

For a perfect result, it is important to start with a good result homemade broth, usually chicken and follow the instructions carefully to prepare the “conza”. The choice of the highest quality raw materials is equally crucial. We use it for filling Majorchino, a semi-hard cheese, the Slow Food editorial board today. If you can’t find it, you can substitute pecorino, which isn’t very flavorful, or the same pecorino you’d use to make the meatballs.

you can replace sheep ricotta with vaccine, for a more delicate result, and with a pinch to further flavor the konze nutmeg grated. Learn how to prepare sciuscedd by following the procedure and tips step by step.

How to prepare Sciusceddu

Prepare the meatballs: Collect the minced meat in a bowl and add the egg yolk 1. Add salt and pepper.

Add flavor with toasted pecorino and chopped parsley 2.

Knead well with your hands until the mixture is firm and homogeneous 3.

Shape into patties slightly larger than walnuts 4.

Dip the meatballs in the hot chicken broth 5 and cook for about 10 minutes. At the end of the cooking time, turn off the stove and leave the meatballs in the broth to soak them well.

In the meantime, prepare the custard: combine the ricotta in a bowl and pour the remaining yolk. 6.

Add the fried Majorca 7 then a pinch of ground cinnamon.

Work it all in with a hand mixer 8.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and gently combine with a bottom-up motion. 9.

In the end, you should get a smooth and homogeneous mixture 10.

Arrange the meatballs in one-piece casseroles 11 and sprinkle three or four tablespoonfuls of hot broth over them.

Spread the konza on the surface 12 flatten gently with a spatula.

Bake the cocotte in a static oven at 190°C for 20-25 minutes. 13.

When the surface is golden brown, remove the sciusceddu from the oven 14.

Bring to the table and serve immediately 15.

storage

It is advisable to prepare Sciusceddu e enjoy this moment and very hot. If there is any left over, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a day, covered with a sheet of cling film.