Crostata Di Ricotta Mandorla E Arancia Recipes

CROSTATA DI RICOTTA, MANDORLA E ARANCIA

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
• Spread almonds on a cookie sheet and bake until light brown. Remove and set on a rack to cool.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325° F.
• Grind almonds into a fine meal in a bowl or food processor.
• Add the eggs, ricotta, sugar, orange zest, orange liquor, vanilla and nutmeg. Process until well mixed, smooth, and fluffy.
• Butter a 9 or 10 inch quiche dish or a glass or ceramic pie plate (you could also use a a tart pan with a removable bottom).
• Pour the batter into the dish, filling almost to the top of the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour. The tart will puff up while baking. Remove and place on a rack to cool for 1 hour. Set aside and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• For the topping, peel the zest from the oranges and cut into long, very thin strips. Be careful to remove only the peel and not the white pith underneath.
• Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, add orange zest and cook slowly for 1 hour. If syrup becomes too dry add a little more water. Turn off heat and add cinnamon stick. Set aside.
• Just before serving time, remove the candied orange zest from the syrup and shake off the excess syrup. Reserve syrup and set aside.
• Place 1 tablespoon of sugar on a piece of waxed paper.
• Place the zest on the sugar an toss well to coat with sugar.
• Place orange rind on the top of the tart and distribute evenly over the tart.
• To serve, cut the tart into wedges. Place on serving plates, top with a dollop of Creme Frauche, and drizzle a teaspoon of the reserved syrup on top.
• Garnish with mint leaves.

CROSTATA DI RICOTTA

Steps:

• For the pastry: Sift together the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Combine the butter, egg yolks, whole egg and lemon zest in a separate bowl. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and then knead into a dough. Let rest 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the filling: Whip the egg whites with 1/2 of the sugar to stiff peaks in a mixing bowl. Whip the remaining sugar, ricotta and lemon zest together in a separate bowl, and then gently fold into the egg whites.
• Roll out the pastry and fit into a pie plate. Spread the ricotta filling into the crust, sealing with more pastry as you would a pie. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.