Ricotta crostata (pizza di ricotta)

This tart is typically made for Easter and is best eaten when the ricotta has completely cooled, allowing you to really savour the aniseed liqueur in the pastry and the orange zest in the filling.

Credit: Paola Bacchia

• serves

  10

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh ricotta, drained
• 2 eggs
• 125 g (4½ oz) granulated sugar
• 75 g (2½ oz) dark chocolate (45 per cent cocoa solids), grated or finely chopped
• 100 g (3½ oz) natural almonds, finely chopped (not ground)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• finely grated zest of 1 small orange
• 3 tbsp white rum
• icing (confectioners’) sugar, for dusting

Pastry

• 250 g (9 oz/1⅔ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 scant tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 125 g (4½ oz) granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp milk
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1½ tbsp aniseed liqueur such as sambuca

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line a 21 cm (8¼ in) tart tin with a removable base.
2. To make the pastry, place the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl and whisk to incorporate. Drop in the egg, milk, olive oil and liqueur and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. You could also use a food processor.
3. Dust your work surface with flour and knead the dough for a minute or two until it is smooth. Cut the dough into two portions – you need two-thirds of the dough for the base and side, and one-third for the lattice top. Roll out the larger portion of dough between two sheets of plastic film to a thickness of 3–4 mm (¹⁄8 in), to form a circle large enough to line the base and side of the tin. Carefully lift the pastry into the prepared tin, using your fingers to gently flatten it onto the base and side, cutting off the excess with a sharp knife. Wrap the remaining portion of dough in plastic film and rest in the fridge while you make the filling.
4. Place the ricotta, eggs and sugar in a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the chocolate, almonds, cinnamon, orange zest and finally the rum. Stir until well incorporated, then spoon the filling into the
   prepared pastry case.
5. Roll out the remaining dough to a thickness of 3–4 mm (¹⁄8 in). Cut the dough into strips (mine were just under 1 cm/½ in wide), then arrange the strips in a lattice pattern over the filling, gently pinching the ends to attach them to the pastry rim.
6. Bake for 50–60 minutes until the lattice is cooked through and golden. Set aside to cool completely.
7. Dust with icing sugar and serve cold. The ‘pizza’ will keep in an airtight container in a cool spot for 1–2 days, although the pastry will soften over time.

 

Recipe and images from Adriatico by Paola Bacchia, Smith Street Books, RRP $55.00

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.