Ricotta Tart (Torta di ricotta)
Ricotta is made in part from whey, a by-product of cheese making. Because of this, it is not considered a true cheese, but instead a latticino, or dairy product. While cow’s milk ricotta is the most common, and ricotta made from water buffalo’s milk and goat’s milk is found as well, rich, creamy ricotta romana, made from sheep’s milk, is particularly prized by Roman cooks. It is a popular filling for such sweets as sfogliatelle (filled flaky pastry) and cannoli, and for tarts, such as this recipe adapted from a dessert made by Enrico Licata, the talented pastry chef at Ristorante La Piazzetta, just off Via Cavour.
Estimated Nutrition (whole recipe, rough)
What these numbers assume — 11 portions →
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Ricotta Cheese | 1/2 cup (124g) part-skim | 174 |
| Chocolate | 1 oz (28g) semisweet | 155 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Honey | 1 tbsp (21g) | 64 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Rum | 1/2 oz (15ml) | 32 |
| Vanilla | 1 tsp extract (4ml) | 12 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
Totals for the whole recipe, adding one typical portion per ingredient — listed above. Quantities in the recipe are not counted, so this is a rough guide only — not suitable for medical or dietary planning.
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese, preferably fresh
- 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. Strega or Sambuca liqueur or light rum
- 11⁄2 oz bittersweet chocolate, shaved with a knife
- 3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 3⁄4-inch pieces
- 13⁄4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 Tbs.honey
- 1⁄8 tsp. vanilla extract (essence)
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- Pinch of salt
- 3 large egg yolks, plus 1 more yolk for brushing, lightly beaten
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted
- 1 tsp. baking powder