Recipe: Ricotta Pie, Roman Style

RICOTTA PIE, ROMAN STYLE
(CROSTATA DI RICOTTA ALLA ROMANA)
Source: The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines by Jeff Smith

You need to soak the raisins and toast the pine nuts ahead for this recipe.

THE PASTRY:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon sugar
3 egg yolks, beaten
Grated zest of lemon
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
THE FILLING:
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces white raisins, soaked in rum to cover for 2 hours and drained
2 ounces citron or green candied lemon peel, cut in a small dice
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted in a 375 degree oven until just barely browned

Butter and dust with flour a 10-inch cheesecake pan with removable sides.

Place the flour for the crust in a large mixing bowl* and make a well in the center. Add the sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, and butter, cut into small pieces. Mix by pinching and rubbing the ingredients together until the consistency of coarse meal. Add a Tablespoon of water, or perhaps two, in order to form a dough. Knead just a couple of times.

*Note: If using a food processor for this step, use well-chilled butter and just throw all of the ingredients into the machine. Process and add the water if you need it.

Cut the pastry into two pieces, one a little larger for the bottom crust. Roll out to about 1/8-inch thickness. (I find that a marble sheet and marble rolling pin work well for this.) Detach the pastry from the surface with a spatula or long knife and drape over the rolling pin. Unroll over the cake pan, leaving some overhang.

Cream the ricotta with the sugar, add all the other ingredients for the filling, and mix well. Pour this into the prepared cake pan.

Roil out the remaining pastry and cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips. Lay the strips across the pie in a lattice. Pinch or crimp the edges of the strips to the crust to seal.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before turning out. Serve warm or at room temperature.