Naples-Style Lemon Ricotta Cake (Migliaccio)

Carnival (Carnevale in Italian) is a festive season that ends on Fat Tuesday or Martedì grasso. The most famous Italian Carnival celebration, of course, takes place in Venice, while the coastal Tuscan town of Viareggio is known for its elaborate parade floats. 

Each region also has its own special treats for celebrating the holiday, though those most closely associated with Carnevale are often various forms of fried dough (such as cenci), fritters (such as frittelle di riso), or doughnuts (such as bomboloni). Now you can enjoy hot fried dough sprinkled with sugar without deep-frying them in your kitchen.

For others who don't like cleaning up grease spatters and are wondering what to do with a potful of used oil, here's a recipe for migliaccio: a lovely, simple treat traditionally made in Naples during Carnevale time. It's a sort of light cheesecake, known as a ricotta cake or ricotta pie to some Italian Americans. It is delicately flavored with lemon zest and vanilla, like many other Carnevale desserts, but it isn't too heavy or sweet, making it well suited for an afternoon snack (merenda), teatime, or even for breakfast with your cappuccino.

You will need two lemons for this recipe. For one lemon, use a vegetable peeler to create four to five large, wide swaths of zest, being careful to avoid the bitter white pith. With the other lemon, use a fine grater (a Microplane grater works well) to create finely shaved zest.