Crostata Ricotta e Visciole

Method9 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Blitz the pastry flour, 80 g pastry sugar, pastry egg (1 large), cold butter (120 g), baking powder (¼ tsp), cinnamon (¼ tsp), pastry lemon zest and pinch of salt in a food processor until rough dough forms. Bring it together gently on a clean surface just until smooth. Flatten into a disc, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

   Chill pastry dough · 60 minUses 250 g Italian 00 or all-purpose flour · 80 g sugar for pastry · 1 large egg for pastry · 120 g cold butter, cubed · ¼ tsp baking powder · ¼ tsp ground cinnamon · Zest of ½ lemon for pastry · 1 pinch salt

2. 2

   Step 2: Whisk the well-drained ricotta (500 g) with the separate filling egg (1 large), 2 tbsp filling sugar and separate half-lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Keep the filling chilled until assembling.

   Uses 500 g well-drained ricotta · 1 large egg for ricotta filling · 2 tbsp sugar for ricotta filling · Zest of ½ lemon for ricotta filling

3. 3

   Step 3: Remove the chilled pastry from the fridge. Cut off slightly more than half for the base and reserve the smaller piece for the lid.

   Uses chilled pastry dough

4. 4

   Step 4: Lightly dust the work surface and rolling pin with extra flour. Roll the larger base piece to about ½ cm thick, large enough for a 9-inch tart pan. If it breaks, bring it together and work it briefly for a few seconds, then roll again.

   Uses larger pastry piece for base · Extra flour as needed for rolling the base

5. 5

   Step 5: Lift the rolled base pastry with the rolling pin and drape it over a 9-inch loose-bottom tart pan. Ease it into the sides and trim the overhang.

   Uses rolled base pastry

6. 6

   Step 6: Spread the cherry jam (340 g) over the pastry base, then spoon on the prepared ricotta filling and spread it into an even layer.

   Uses lined tart pan · 340 g cherry jam, preferably sour cherry · ricotta-egg-sugar-lemon filling

7. 7

   Step 7: Roll the reserved smaller pastry piece into a lid, using extra flour as needed to prevent sticking. Lay it over the filled tart, seal the edges and trim. Refrigerate the assembled tart for at least 30 minutes.

   Chill assembled tart at least 30 minutes · 30 minUses reserved smaller pastry piece for lid · Extra flour as needed for rolling the lid · filled tart base

8. 8

   Step 8: Preheat a fan/convection oven to 180°C (350°F).

9. 9

   Step 9: Brush the chilled tart lid thinly with as much beaten egg as needed. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the pastry is golden and baked through. Let the tart cool completely before slicing into 12 portions. Dust with powdered sugar if desired; refrigerate leftovers for up to 4–5 days.

   Bake ricotta and cherry tart · 50 minUses chilled assembled tart · Some of the beaten egg, as needed for brushing · Powdered sugar, as desired for dusting