Torta Di Pasqua Easter Ricotta Tart Recipes

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.

TORTA DI PASQUETTA (THE PASQUETTA/EASTER TART)

Steps:

• In a bowl, quickly mix together the flour, water, oil and salt. Transfer the mixture to a work surface. Briefly work the dough with your fingertips until it forms a ball.
• Divide into two balls, one slightly larger than the other (one third to two thirds); shape balls into flattened disks, wrap separately in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the larger piece to a 14 ½ inch round, 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to an 11 inch springform pan, pressing into edges and leaving a ¼ inch overhang.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F In a bowl, combine the ricotta, 7 of the eggs, ham, marjoram, salt, and pepper; spoon into the prepared crust. With the back of a tablespoon, create 6 deep egg-shaped indentations in the filling. One at a time, crack an egg into each indentation.
• Roll the remaining dough into a 11-inch round. Cover the top of the tart with dough; pinch together the edges and trim any excess dough. Whisk together the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the top of the tart with the egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and cumin seeds.
• Bake tart, rotating halfway through, until top is puffed up and golden, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on rack to room temperature.

PASTIERA DI PASQUA (ITALIAN EASTER TART WITH RICOTTA)

Steps:

• Bring wheat grains, milk, butter, and 1/2 of the lemon zest to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 11-inch tart pan.
• Combine ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, orange flower water, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Mix in remaining lemon zest and candied orange peel. Fold in wheat mixture and mix filling until well combined.
• Roll out 1 sheet puff pastry on a lightly floured surface so it will fit into the tart pan. Place pastry in the pan and spoon filling on top. Roll out the second puff pastry sheet and cut into 3/4-inch thick strips. Layer a lattice pattern on top of the filling and brush with beaten egg.
• Bake tart in the preheated oven until filling is set and lattice is lightly browned, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool inside the tart pan, at least 1 hour.
• Carefully unmold tart, transfer onto a cake platter. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

CARLA'S TORTA DI RICOTTA

Steps:

• Refrigerate the ricotta cheese in a strainer overnight so that the excess moisture is removed. In a mixing bowl, blend the ricotta cheese and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar with a hand mixer until it becomes a velvety consistency. In a separate bowl, whip the cream with 1/2 tablespoon of sugar. Gently fold in the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture along with the bittersweet chocolate. Spread the filling into the piecrust and refrigerate.
• In a saucepan, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 2 cups of water. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the pears and gently simmer until soft when pierced with a knife. Remove the pears from the pan and let cool. Cut the pears into slices and fan the slices on top of the pie filling, until the surface of the pie is covered. Fill in the gaps with extra pieces of pear, if necessary.
• In another saucepan, heat the remaining 1 cup water and apricot jam. Stir and cook until the jelly is liquefied, so that it can be used as a glaze. Spread the apricot glaze over the pears and let the pie rest in the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

TORTA DI PASQUA (EASTER RICOTTA TART)

Steps:

• Crust: Butter a 10-inch metal pie pan. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. With your fingertips, work in butter until small pea sized. In a small bowl, beat together yolks, lemon juice, and 3 Tbsps water. Add to dry ingredients, tossing with a fork until pastry forms small clumps; another 1-2 Tbsps water may be needed. Shape dough into a ball. On a floured surface, roll pastry to a 15-inch circle, 1/8 inch thick. Fit to pie pan and trim edges to a 1-inch overhang. Roll rim under and flute to a high border standing on the pie pan's rim. Chill 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line pastry shell with foil or parchment, weight with dried beans, and bake 15 mins. Remove liner and weights and bake another 2 mins, or until crust is firm. Cool on a rack. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pass ricotta through a fine sieve into a bowl. Blend in cream, yolks, 1/2 cup of sugar, Galliano, vanilla, and salt. Stir in fruit. Turn ricotta into pastry shell. Tuck chocolate pieces in here and there. In a medium bowl, beat egg white until foamy. Gradually beat in remaining 3 Tbsps sugar and continue to beat meringue to consistency of very thick cream - not quite soft peaks. With a spoon, make a zigzag stripe of meringue thickly over the filling, not covering it completely. Sprinkle nuts over meringue. Make a foil ring and cover pastry rim with it. Place tart in oven and turn heat down to 325°F. Bake 40 mins. Remove foil rim and bake another 15-20 mins, or until a knife inserted an inch from the rim comes out with a few streaks. The filling will jiggle a bit, but will set up in cooling. Remove tart to a rack and cool. Cover and chill the tart 1 hour, but bring to room temperature before serving, cut into narrow wedges. Keeps well, covered, in the refrigerator, 2-3 days, but best the day it's made.