Sicilian Ricotta Tart Recipes

SICILIAN CASSATA: RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• Place the ricotta into a fine mesh sieve and nestle this over a bowl, place into the refrigerator overnight to allow the excess moisture to drain out before proceeding with the cassata recipe.
• Place the ricotta into the bowl of a mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until the curds smooth out. Mix the drained and beaten ricotta with 1 cup powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, chocolate chips and half the candied fruit. Set aside.
• Lightly oil a 10-inch springform pan with canola oil. Slice the sponge cake very thinly so that the springform may be lined with it in an even layer. Line the sides and bottom of the pan with the sponge cake. Pour the ricotta filling into the cake-lined pan. Place a final layer of cake over the ricotta filling; this now creates the bottom to the cassata. Before serving, the cassata will be inverted onto this cake bottom. Refrigerate the cassata overnight to firm the filling.
• Invert the springform pan on a wide platter. Open the hinge and remove the springform sides and bottom.
• The cassata may now be finished by either covering with a heavy coating of the remaining powdered sugar or may be coated with a thin layer of green marzipan. Either way, the remaining candied fruits should be used to decorate the finished cassata. Slice thinly and serve.

SICILIAN RICOTTA TART

Steps:

• For the Tart Dough: This recipe works best with very cold butter. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes. Since butter softens rapidly with handling, return the cubes to the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes while you set up the food processor and gather the dry ingredients. Place the flour, sugar, and kosher salt, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse on/off a few times to combine. Add the butter, tossing quickly with a spatula to coat each cube with flour. This prevents the butter cubes from adhering together and helps them to break apart and combine more evenly with the flour. Pulse on and off 15 times until the butter particles are the size of small peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Process for about 10 seconds, stopping the machine before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the contents of the bowl onto a sheet of aluminum foil, pressing any loose particles into the mass of dough. Roughly form the dough into a 7-inch disk. Cover the dough completely with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until ready to use. The dough may be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks. Let dough rest in refrigerator until needed.
• For the Tart: Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll out each portion of dough on a floured surface into 9-inch free form circles, about 3/8-inch thick, and transfer to baking sheets. Cover and chill the dough while you prepare the filling. Mix the ricotta, egg yolks, tangerine peel, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula until well combined. Scatter the chopped dates over the surface of the tart shell leaving a 1 1/2-inch border around the outside edge. Spoon the filling over the dates and raise the dough border to enclose the sides of the tart. Press down on the dough where if forms pleats to secure. Bake the tart for 15 to 18 minutes, in preheated 450 degrees, until the crust is golden and the filling is just set. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm.

RUSTIC TOMATO AND RICOTTA TART

Steps:

• Make the dough: In the bowl of a mixer, blend the flour, sugar, and lemon zest at low speed. Add the butter and continue blending at low speed until the mixture is coarse and sandy-looking. Add the egg mixture and blend just until the mixture comes together. Form into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• On a floured surface, roll the dough out to a rough circle, about 14 to 15 inches in diameter. Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. All around the edge of the crust, fold in the outer half-inch to form a rough, "rustic" edge to the tart.
• Filling: In a small mixing bowl whisk together the ricotta, egg white, sugar, and lemon zest. Using a rubber spatula, gently spread the ricotta filling over the bottom of the tart. Then arrange the tomato halves in concentric circles, cut side up, over the ricotta. Drizzle the honey over.
• With a pastry brush, brush the tart edge with milk. Sprinkle it with coarse sugar. Bake until fruit is tender and the underside of the tart is browned, about 25 to 30 minutes.

TORTA DI RICOTTA (RICOTTA CHEESECAKE)

Steps:

• Drain the ricotta overnight in a cheesecloth lined sieve. Soak the raisins in the rum. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale yellow. Add the drained ricotta, salt, and citrus zests, and blend thoroughly. Add the pine nuts and the raisins and rum, blending well. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and fold them into the cake mixture. Brush a 6-inch springform pan with softened butter, coat the inner surfaces with bread crumbs, and shake out the excess. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan, bake 30 minutes, and cool before serving.

RICOTTA TART: TORTA DI RICOTTA

Steps:

• For the pasta frolla: Combine sugar, butter, egg, milk, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Fold in the flour but do not over mix; make sure that the mixture remains cool and does not become pasty. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes, or until firm.
• For the Ricotta Filling: Place the ricotta in a large bowl stir in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla being careful not to over mix.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut off 1/2 of the pasta frolla and reserve. Roll 1/2 of the dough into a 14-inch disc and line a 9-inch cake pan with it. Allow the dough to hang over the edge of the pan. Roll out the reserved dough into a 10-inch circle. Reserve. Pour the ricotta filling into the crust base. Lay the reserved 10-inch circle of dough on the top of the filling. Trim the excess so there is a 1/2 to 3/4-inch overhang. Take the flap of dough left on the edge of the ring and roll it on itself so that it rests completely within the pan.
• In a small bowl, beat together the egg with a pinch of salt and a few drops of water to make an egg wash. Brush the surface of the torta with the beaten egg mixture. Place the torta in the lower third of the oven and bake for about 45 minutes until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

SWEET RICOTTA CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon orange peel, salt, and baking powder in food processor. Add butter and blend until coarse meal forms. Add 2 eggs and blend until moist clumps form. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead to combine well, about 1 minute. Divide into 2 pieces, one slightly larger. Wrap and chill smaller piece. Press larger piece over bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom.
• Using electric mixer, beat ricotta cheese, cream cheese, cornstarch, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons orange peel, and 2 eggs. Transfer filling to dough-lined tart pan. Roll out chilled dough piece to 10-inch round. Place round over tart; trim excess dough. Press edges of tart to seal. Cut 4 slits in top of tart. Bake tart until golden and puffed, about 1 hour. Cool completely.

SICILIAN HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Line a large colander or sieve with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Set aside.
• Heat milk, buttermilk, heavy cream, and salt in a large, heavy, nonreactive saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for the first 10 minutes. Continue heating, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 190 degrees F. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. The mixture will be separated into white curds and clear whey.
• Using a slotted spoon, ladle approximately 1/4 of the curds into the cheesecloth-lined colander. Gather up the corners of the top cheesecloth and secure closed with a zip tie. Repeat with the rest of the curds, cheesecloth, and zip ties. Use the last zip tie to thread all of the cheeses together. Suspend the cheeses over a large wooden spoon over a large bowl, and let drain for 2 hours.
• Place the four cheeses, still in cloth, in a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, cut zip ties, and transfer cheese to an airtight container.