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.

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.

EASTER ARTICHOKE PIES (TORTE DI CARCIOFO PER PASQUA)

Steps:

• Mix together flour, olive oil, egg, salt, and 3/4 cup cold water in a large bowl until dough just holds together (it should be fairly dry).
• Divide dough into 2 balls, using two-thirds of dough for bottom crusts and one-third for top crusts.
• Roll out dough for bottom crusts on a floured surface until very thin and almost transparent.
• Cut out eight 6 and 1/2-inch circles.
• Wrap bottom crusts in plastic and set aside.
• Roll out dough for top crusts on floured surface and cut out eight 5-inch circles.
• Wrap top crusts in plastic and set aside.
• Prepare the Filling:.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Add onions and cook until slightly golden, about 6?8 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Mix together ricotta cheese, parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and sauteed onions in a large bowl.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 375?F.
• Assemble pies:.
• Place bottom crusts on a lightly oiled and floured baking sheet.
• Spoon 1 and 1/2 tbsp filling on each bottom crust and spread evenly, leaving 1 and 1/2-inch of crust exposed around edge.
• Divide artichokes between pies, arranging on top of filling, then spoon another 1 and 1/2 tbsp filling on top of each and add top crusts.
• To form pies, fold edges of bottom crusts over edges of top crusts.
• Pinch to seal, and then fold over again to create a slightly thicker edge.
• Brush tops with a little olive oil.
• Slit top of each pie 4 times in a crisscross pattern to allow steam to vent during baking.
• Bake until slightly golden, about 25-30 minutes. Serves 8.
• That's it!

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.

TORTA PASQUALINA

Steps:

• Dough:
• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and process until largest pieces of butter are pea-size. Drizzle in 1/2 cup ice water and pulse until a few shaggy pieces of dough form.
• Transfer dough (get all the dry bits) to a work surface. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. ice water over; knead to just barely bring dough together. Divide in half. Place a half on a piece of plastic wrap. Using plastic and your hands, form dough into a 3/4"-thick disk and tightly wrap. Repeat with remaining dough. Chill at least 2 hours.
• Filing and assembly:
• Working in batches, cook Swiss chard in a large pot of boiling water until bright green and slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Swish to cool, then remove greens and squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. Transfer greens to a cutting board and finely chop (you should have about 4 cups).
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden but not browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in greens. Let cool.
• Using a fork, whisk 4 eggs in a large bowl to blend. Add ricotta, Parmesan, and Swiss chard mixture and mix to combine. Add garlic, lemon zest, nutmeg, 2 tsp. salt, and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
• Let dough sit at room temperature 5 minutes to soften. Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12" round about 1/8" thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roll out remaining disk of dough and carefully transfer to tart pan. Lift up edges and allow dough to slump down into pan. Press dough firmly into sides and bottom of pan. Trim, leaving about a 1/2" overhang. Beat 1 egg in a small bowl to blend and brush edges of dough.
• Scrape filling into pan, creating a mound in the center. Using an offset spatula, evenly spread filling over bottom, smoothing surface. Use a spoon to create 5 divots in filling and crack an egg into each. Season eggs with a bit of salt. Arrange remaining round of dough over filling. Trim edges of top round, leaving 1/2" overhang. Fold edge of bottom crust up and over top, then press edges together to seal. Crimp and brush top of dough with remaining beaten egg; sprinkle with sugar. Transfer pie to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and chill in freezer 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake pie until crust is deep golden brown, 65-75 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let pie cool in pan at least 30 minutes before serving.
• Do Ahead
• Dough can be made 5 days ahead. Keep chilled, or freeze up to 1 month. Pie can be baked 1 day ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

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.