Carmela Sopranos Ricotta Pie Recipes

IF CARMELA SOPRANO WERE VEGAN, SHE'D MAKE THIS RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Almond Ricotta Skip this recipe if using store-bought ricotta Special Equipment: Candy or instant read thermometer (optional, but ideal) Nutmilk or muslin bag, high quality cheesecloth, butter muslin, or a clean tea towel Highspeed blender such as BlendTec, Vitamix, Magic Bullet, etc. (this can work with a regular blender too, but you may have to blend for longer and there may be a touch more texture in your cheese) Colander Weight such as a can of tomatoes or mason jar filled with water Tofu press such as Tofuture (optional) Coat hanger or other hanging device Blend almond flour, sugar, and water in a high speed blender for 2 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes, then blend again another 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth. You shouldn't feel grit when you rub the milk between your fingers. Pour the almond milk into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until it's between 185 and 195 degrees fahrenheit, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula. (I use a candy thermometer clipped to the pot. If you don't have a thermometer, the milk should not be boiling, but look like it's about to, with small bubbles forming on the surface.) When it hits the above temperature, turn the heat down to low and try to the milk in the 185-195 degree range for 20 minutes, still stirring frequently. It may bubble and thicken up a bit, that's totally fine. (I'm still learning the science, but I gather this does something to the proteins that make them curdle more readily.) After twenty minutes, take the pot off the heat and add the apple cider vinegar. Stir it in gently with the rubber spatula and put the lid on the pot. Let sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours until the milk has cooled completely. The mixture should have curdled by now, and you will see bits of chunkier almond milk and more watery "whey." Pour the curdled milk into your nutmilk bag over the sink (go slowly and let the whey drain a bit so your bag doesn't overflow.) If you don't have a nutmilk bag, you can line a colander with butter muslin, several layers of high-quality cheesecloth, or a tea towel in a pinch. Once the curds have drained for a bit, lift the corners and tie into a bag around the draining cheese. Hang your bag over the sink to drain. My nutmilk bag has loops on the top which I hook around the top of a coat hanger. I then hang the coathanger on the edge of the cupboard above my sink. Improvise until you figure out a way that works for you. Let drain like this for 2-3 hours. Sprinkle the salt over the cheese in the bag and gently stir it in with a spoon. Place the cheese, still wrapped in the bag, into your tofu press if you have one, or in a colander over a large bowl. Depending how your tofu press works, tighten the clamps or put a weight on the top (a can or mason jar full of water work well). If you're using a colander, put a plate on top of the cheese in the colander and put a weight on the plate. Put this whole cheese-pressing operation in the fridge and let press for 12 or more hours, flipping the bag of cheese from time to time. The ricotta is ready when it's light and fluffy but also thick enough to mound on a spoon and easily hold its shape. Put it into an airtight container and it will keep for three or four days in the fridge. Vegan Ricotta Pie Preheat the oven to 350 fahrenheit. Spread the butter over the bottom and sides of a 9 or 9.5 inch pie pan (you can also use a 9 inch springform, but the pie will be very short). Sprinkle in the crumbs and shake the pan around to coat the bottom and sides. Set aside. Place drained cashews and 1 cup water in a blender and blend on high until completely smooth. This could take a few minutes, depending on your blender. Measure out a half cup of cashew cream and reserve the rest for another use (see note for ideas.) In a large bowl stir together the cornstarch and sugar. Add the tahini and 4 Tbsp of water to the bowl and whisk with a fork until creamy and well combined. Add the ricotta, measured cashew cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then add baking powder and stir once more to incorporate. Pour into the prepared pan, scraping the filling out with a rubber spatula. Smooth the top as well as you can. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the pie is completely matte and dry on top. It may still have a bit of jiggle to it when you pick it up, but the surface should no longer be sticky. Place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate for at least one hour, ideally more, before serving. To serve, slice into wedges and top with a few amarena cherries and a bit of their syrup or a fruit topping of your choice.

RICOTTA PIE (OLD ITALIAN RECIPE)

Steps:

• Beat the 12 eggs, 2 cups sugar and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta cheese and the chocolate chips, if using (see Cook's Note). Set aside.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, and 1 cup sugar together. Cut in 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in 4 beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Divide dough into 4 balls, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two deep-dish pie plates.
• Roll out 2 of the balls to fit into the pie pans. Do not make the crust too thick, as it will expand during cooking. Do not flute the edges of the dough. Roll out the other 2 balls of dough and cut each into 8 narrow strips for the top of the crust. (Alternately, you can use cookie cutters and place the cutouts on the top of the pies.)
• Pour the ricotta filling evenly into the pie crusts. Top each pie with 8 narrow strips of dough or cookie cut-outs. Brush top of pie with milk for shine, if desired. Place foil on the edge of crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes; remove foil. Rotate pies on the rack so they will bake evenly. Continue to bake until a knife inserted in the center of each pie comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes more. Cool completely on wire racks. Refrigerate until serving.