Recipe

My Sister Nicky's Ricotta Pie

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My Sister Nicky's Ricotta Pie
  • This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Italian Dessert
    This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Late Winter Tart (Sweet or Savory)
    This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe with Fresh Ricotta
  • A&M's Testing Notes: The final product was very nice. I served it for my husband’s birthday and we had a “group” input on it. Everyone loved it. In making it, I had a little problem with the crust, in that it...

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  • Chef

    Federico_'s Notes: This is a cherished recipe passed down from my sister Nicolette. She used to make this fluffy ricotta pie in a pre-prepared pie shell that you can buy in any supermarket, but the delectable...

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Serves 8

  1. To prepare the crust: Mound flour on work surface. Make a well in the center and combine butter, sugar, egg yolk, and lemon peel in the well. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Gradually mix flour into butter mixture, blending until coarse meal forms. Knead adding ice water if necessary until just smooth. Flatten into disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about an our.

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  2. Grease and lightly flour 10 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Roll dough out to about 12 inches and carefully transfer to prepared pan. You can slide the removable bottom of the pan under the rolled out dough and then lift and place it in the pan's rim.

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  3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Refrigerate crust for 15 minutes. Cut a circle of parchment or foil to cover crust and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 15 minutes. Remove beans and parchment. Bake crust until golden brown, about 25 minutes more. Transfer to rack and cool. Maintain oven temperature. (Crust can also be prepared 1 day ahead--just cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.)

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  4. To prepare the filling: Beat eggs and mix vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar in a small bowl. Add egg mixture to ricotta in a medium bowl and mist thoroughly until well blended and relatively smooth. Pour filling into prebaked crust. Bake in the 325 degree oven for about 45 minutes (line exposed crust edge with foil if it seems to be browning too much.) During the last 10 minutes, sprinkle toasted almonds on top (if using). Cool on wire rack, remove outer rim from tart pan and serve.

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  5. Cooks note: there are lots of ingredients you can add to the finished tart as with any cheesecake: raspberries or strawberries around the edge, half pecans instead of almonds, pitted cherries in season, and so on.

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5 Comments on My Sister Nicky's Ricotta Pie

Federicocooking Reply

Amanda--I'm delighted your friends and family liked the ricotta pie. I think in inadvertently left out adding ice water a teaspoon at a time until the crust is the proper consistency. Sorry.

Federicocooking Reply

Delighted you turned my sister's ricotta pie into a fourth of July treat! Gives me an idea for tomorrow!

Federico

Reply

Oh, and I used a graham cracker crust. Why? Because I was very lazy and I like that crust. It came out great.

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I made this for a party this afternoon and put blueberries and strawberries on top to make it red, white, and blue for the 4th of July. Everyone loved it and said it was delicious. Of course I told them where I got the wonderful recipe. Many thanks!

Mrs Reply

Sounds delicious! This would be great for Easter. Thanks for the recipe!

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