Italian Ricotta Tomato Pie Recipes

ITALIAN TOMATO PIE

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add olive oil and 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons water. Knead on low speed just until dough comes together, about 3 minutes. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Knead once more on low speed for 10 minutes until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• Remove dough hook, cover top of mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (up to 24 hours).
• Meanwhile, for the sauce, add tomatoes to a food processor and roughly puree. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, shallot, oregano, and pepper flakes. Cook and stir until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pureed tomatoes and season with sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 45 minutes. Season with salt. Remove from heat, bring to room temperature, and refrigerate until dough has finished rising.
• Generously grease the inside of a 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheet with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Remove dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before baking. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a flat ball. Transfer ball to the greased baking sheet. Coat the ball on all sides with olive oil using your hands, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm spot for 1 hour. The dough should spread out . Carefully stretch and push the dough into the corners and edges of the pan. Cover loosely, and let rise for 1 hour longer.
• Adjust an oven rack to the upper middle position. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• When dough has risen, gently dock center with fingertips and use your hands to create a risen ridge about 1 inch wide around the edge.
• Spread dough generously with sauce, leaving the raised 1-inch edge without the sauce. Bake until edges are lightly browned and crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese, cut into slices, and serve.

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.

ITALIAN SPINACH AND RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Place spinach in a skillet over medium heat and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry, and chop finely.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat and add onion. Cook until onion starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Stir ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, 2 whole eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the cooled spinach mixture.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch tart pan or pie dish.
• Unwrap the phyllo dough. Keep covered with a damp cloth to prevent phyllo sheets from drying out.
• Lay 1 sheet of phyllo over the buttered dish flush with the edge so that excess phyllo hangs over on only one side of the dish. Brush lightly with melted butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo at a slight angle to the first one. Continue in this manner, with up to 12 sheets, brushing each sheet with butter and working clockwise to lay each at a slight angle to the previous sheet.
• Spoon cheese and spinach mixture evenly into the phyllo-lined dish. Using the back of a spoon, make six indentations in the filling, then carefully place 1 egg yolk in each. Season each yolk with salt and pepper and drizzle with a bit of melted butter.
• Take the extra phyllo dough hanging over the edges of the dish and fold it over to the centre to cover the filling, 1 sheet of phyllo at a time, brushing each one with butter. Brush the top of the whole pie with butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the phyllo pastry is a dark golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm.

ITALIAN RICOTTA TOMATO PIE

Steps:

• For crust, stir together baking mix, garlic powder, pepper and hot water until it becomes a dough then knead it with your hands for a few minutes on a floured board.
• Press, pat and coax dough out on regular size greased baking sheet (I cover my baking sheet with foil and then spray the foil with Pam).
• Set aside.
• Slice tomatoes then take the ends and the parts you couldn't get a good slice of and dice them.
• Set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix ricotta with garlic and parmesan.
• Carefully spread dough with ricotta mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch edge.
• Top with mozzarella cheese.
• Place tomato slices and then diced tomatoes.
• Sprinkle with basil and oregano and then drizzle with oil.
• Moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold up to form a small crust.
• Bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Enjoy!

ITALIAN RICOTTA CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and honey and mix well. Place in a 9 inch springform pan and spread evenly across the bottom. Refrigerate 30 minutes to chill.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a large electric mixer bowl, combine ricotta and eggs (beat in one at a time until incorporated). Add tablespoon of honey, vanilla and flour. Beat until smooth. Fold in lemon peel and almonds. Pour mixture into chilled crust and scatter pumpkin seeds on top.
• Bake for 1 hour or until just firm and lightly colored on top. Turn oven off, open door and leave pie inside to cool for 30 minutes.
• Remove pie from oven, refrigerate and chill for 2 hours to overnight before serving.