Sicilian Cassata Cake from Guest Michael Falco #GIVEAWAY

MADDIE DAY here, delighted to bring you fellow Kensington author Michael Falco. Murder in an Italian Cafe, his newest Bria Bartolucci mystery is just out, and two lucky commenters will win a copy!

Murder in an Italian Cafe is all about food!  Having solved a string of murders already, Bria has gained a reputation as the Italian Miss Marple.  So when Chef Lugo - a visiting celebrity chef and author of Amalfi Toast: Italian Breakfast Recipes - dies right next to Bria while they're filming the pilot of his new television show, she immediately suspects foul play. 

At first no one believes her, but quickly they all change their minds.  Especially Luca Vivaldi, the chief of police and Bria's love interest.  Yes, there's also a lot of love in this book along with the food!

Bria enlists her best friend, Rosalie, to be her partner in crime to dig into Lugo's past to find out if he had any enemies who'd want him dead.  What they find is a tangled web of deceit that's stickier than a bowl of honey drenched Struffoli!

Almost everyone in the village is a suspect from Imperia, Bria's ice-cold mother-in-law; to Annamaria, the local chiacchierare (the Italian version of the town gossip!); to Valentina, the sexy new tour guide in town; to Massimo, the mysterious TV producer.  For a man who made deliziosa food, Chef Lugo was not a well-liked man.

Come to Positano for the sunshine and stay for the murder.  And, of course, the food!

The best cook in Positano - and arguably the entire Amalfi Coast - is Fifetta D'Abruzzo, Bria's mother.  Part French, part Italian, Fifetta is all Italian Mamma.  And like any good Italian Mamma, Fifetta can cook.  Following is one of her favorite recipes that the Lenape Ladies Book Club made.

Michael and a very special A Word From Positano rolling pin.  A lovely gift hand-made by Tina of The Avon Public Library in Avon, Connecticut.  

Abbandonza!

Michael Falco 

Fifetta's Favorite Sicilian Cassata Cake 

Ingredients

 

1/3 cup dried currants

5 tablespoons Marsala wine

1 16½-ounce can pitted cherries—do not get rid of the cherry syrup!

1 pint ricotta cheese

¼ cup white sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 12-ounce pound cake

12 1-ounce semisweet chocolate squares

1 cup unsalted butter

Directions

Combine currants and 2 tablespoons of wine in a small bowl and soak for 15 minutes. Drain the cherries, cutting them up, and then drain the currants.

Puree ricotta cheese, sugar, the rest of the wine, and the heavy cream until smooth. Mix in currants and cherries in a larger bowl.

Cut the pound cake lengthwise into 3 horizontal layers, placing one layer on a platter. Spread half of the filling over it, place a second layer, and spread the rest of the filling over that. Then, you guessed it, top with the third layer of pound cake.

Refrigerate for about 2 hours so it can get firm.

Make the chocolate frosting by combining the cherry syrup, semisweet chocolate, and ¼ cup of wine in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until the chocolate melts, then remove the heat. Add unsalted butter and let it melt. Put the frosting in the fridge so it can thicken.

Put 1 cup of chocolate frosting into a pastry bag and spread the rest over the sides and the top of the cassata. Use the pastry bag to decorate the top of the cake with swirls and rosettes. 

Refrigerate the whole shebang for a few more 

hours.

Enjoy with good Italian coffee or a little glass of Amaretto.

Readers: What's your favorite Italian dessert? (Italian Rainbow Cookies are my absolute favorite.) I'll send two commenters a copy of the new book!

Michael Griffo has published 15 novels with Kensington Books including Between Boyfriends, The Archangel Academy Trilogy, The Darkborn Legacy Series, and The Ferrara Family Mystery Series including Murder on Memory Lake and Murder at the Mistletoe Ball.  The Bria Bartolucci Mystery Series, written as Michael Falco, launched in September 2023 with the publication of Murder In An Italian Village, followed by Murder In An Italian Café, in September 2024.  Coming up in 2025 is Murder in an Italian Piazza. 

Michael has also written over 20 plays including 9th Street Water, The Date, and No More Sundays – winner of the New Jersey Perry Award for Best Original Play.  Currently, his play, Pen Pals can be seen at New Jersey Repertory Theatre until October 20th and will transfer to Off-Broadway in December.  His High School plays – Material Girls and Promapocalypse! – are licensed by Theatrical Rights Worldwide.  

For more information about what Michael is up to or to buy MURDER IN AN ITALIAN CAFE and any of my other books, visit any of these sites:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-in-an-italian-caf-michael-falco/1145603346?ean=9781496742162

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1496742168?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_thcv_1&storeType=ebooks 

For more information, visit him at www.michaelgriffo.com