Crostata di ricotta e visciole (Roman Sour Cherry and Ricotta Pie)
Crostata di ricotta e visciole (Roman Sour Cherry and Ricotta Pie) is a traditional Italian recipe (from Rome) for a classic pie with a sour cherry jam and ricotta cheese filling. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Italian dish of: Roman Sour Cherry and Ricotta Pie (PCrostata di ricotta e visciole).
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This was based a fortuitous discovery of mine. I recently found some cherry trees with the cherries still sitting in the tree, unripe, in mid October. After a little investigation and some taste testing, it turned out that these were Prunus cerasus, or the European sour cherry. The fruit are tart, but quite edible and are baked in cakes, made into jams and dried for later storage. Dried sour cherries happen to be a favourite of mine so I'll go back over the weekend to forage and select some for jam making and drying (they're a great addition to Christmas Cakes). I also happen to be looking for authentic recipes from Vatican city at the moment and these two investigations coincided in this Roman recipe. Many Roman recipes have made their way into the kitchens of Vatican City and this one is no exception. Which is kind of ironic, once you learn the history of the dish...
The recipe for crostata di ricotta e visciole goes back centuries. A popular origin story has it that back in the day where the Popes ruled Rome, one of the various decrees that limited Jewish life in the city prohibited Jews from producing or selling dairy products. Well, as you may know, for Romans, Jewish or not, rules are meant to be broken. So the local bakeries invented this tart, with its ricotta filling hidden inside a pastry crust, as a way to get around the onerous rule.
This crostata is a classic dessert in the ebraico-romano tradition going back at least to the 18th century. In fact, some say it’s as much an icon of Roman Jewish cuisine as carciofi alla giudia.
Crostata di ricotta e visciole is traditionally prepared for the Jewish festival of Shavuot in mid June when dairy products are traditionally eaten. (This was, in fact, the origin of the Jewish-style cheesecake.) Shavuot also coincided with the sour cherry harvest in Italy. Today we enjoy this classic dessert year round using sour cherry preserves.
Crostata di ricotta e visciole has a two layered filing of sour cherry jam and a sweet ricotta cream, baked inside a crust of pasta frolla, or shortcrust pastry. Since it has a crust on top and bottom, you should properly call this classic dessert a torta (or pie). Strictly speaking, a crostata is open faced (ie a tart) with only a bottom crust with, at most, a lattice top. But for whatever reason ‘crostata’ is the name that has, generally speaking, stuck. However, you do see it occasionally referred to as a torta di ricotta e vasciole on-line.
Ingredients:
For the pasta frolla (Italian shortcrust pastry):
400g 00 or pastry flour
150g sugar
a pinch of salt
200g softened butter (and/or lard)
4 egg yolks or 3 whole eggs
Water or milk (cold), as needed
For the filling:
400g ricotta cheese, well drained
125g sugar
1 whole egg (optional)
350g jar of sour cherry jam
Method:
Begin by preparing the pastry: In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a standing mixer) combine the flour, sugar and salt. Mix well.
Add the butter and mix again, incorporating until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Now add the eggs, one at a time, mixing to form a proper dough, adding, if need be, a spoonful or two of cold milk or water.
Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the ricotta cream filling: In another mixing bowl, whisk the ricotta and sugar (and the egg, if using) vigorously until you have smooth cream. Set aside until needed.
When the dough has rested and chilled, take it out of the refrigerator. Divide it into two balls, with one ball slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger ball into a round about 30cm in diameter. Lay this piece of pastry onto your baking dish (a 20cm tart dish or pie plate, or a shallow springform tin if you want the more traditional shape; making sure to cover the base and sides. If using a springform pan, this bottom round should come at least halfway up the sides. Trim off any excess. Puncture the base here and there with a tines of a fork.
Slather the sour cherry jam to cover the base of the crust. Then pour over the ricotta cream and spread it out over the bottom with a spatula.
Now roll out the other ball of dough into a second round just wide enough to cover the tart dish or pie plate. Lay this over the filling. Trim off any excess and then pinch it around the edges to seal the top and bottom crust together.
Transfer the pice to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 45 minutes, until cooked through and nicely browned on top.
Remove from the oven and let your crostata cool completely and rest for at least two hours.
Un-mould your crostata on to a serving dish and serve, dusted with confectioner’s sugar if you like.
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