Traditional Roman ricotta tart with brandy

The Roman ricotta tart is a typical dessert of Lazio gastronomy, with a base of shortcrust pastry and a rich filling of ricotta and candied fruit. An easy and substantial recipe. Those of you who love chocolate can introduce this delicious variant turning it into a ricotta pie and chocolate chips.

Ricotta tart is among the most famous desserts with ricotta, after the Sicilian cannoli of course.

Another version of the ricotta tart, this time in Tuscany, is Garfagnana ricotta tart, lighter in the filling. But every region has its own version, the ricotta alla perugina cake, for example, is very simple and does not require the use of butter.

Ricotta is a precious dairy in pastry, there are many recipes that use it and many combinations that guarantee excellent results, ricotta is perfect with chocolate, fruit, cheesecake, plumcakes and even pancakes . Rolls, creams, cakes for breakfast find many ideas among our desserts!

Ricotta tart with brandy – serves 6 – 8

FOR THE PASTRY

300 g of flour
150 g of sugar
150 g of butter
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
grated lemon peel
salt.

FOR THE STUFFING

400 g of ricotta
1/2 tablespoon of flour type 00
3 eggs
2 egg yolks (keep the egg whites aside)
80 g of sugar
6 tablespoons of mixed candied fruit
a small glass of brandy
seed of 1/2 fresh vanilla
grated peel of 1 orange and 1 lemon
salt

TO COMPLETE

1 egg

To prepare the Roman ricotta tart, start with the short pastry:

Place the flour in a fountain, add the sugar, the grated lemon peel, in the center, shell the egg and add the egg yolks, spread the softened butter in flakes and knead everything quickly, then let stand for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the filling: the candies in a bowl and sprinkle with the brandy.
sift the ricotta in a bowl. Whisk 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks with the sugar, whipping them in foam, then add the ricotta and vanillina.
Add the candies with brandy, the grated orange and lemon peel
Add a little salt, then mix carefully.
Finally add the whipped egg whites gently.
Make two discs from the short pastry, one slightly smaller than the other.
Line a mold (26 cm in diameter) with baking paper, buttered the edges of the mold, lay the disk of the shortcrust pastry making it rise also on the edge and spread over the ricotta filling.
From the other disc, cutting them with the serrated wheel, make strips, arrange them crossed on the surface of the ricotta, with the leftovers also formed a border to seal the circumference of the tart.
Brush the dough with the lightly beaten egg and bake in a hot oven at 180 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Withdraw, let cool the tart at room temperature and then transfer it on the serving dish, then sprinkle with icing sugar.