Sweet Ricotta Pie
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, melted and cooled
- 3 pounds ricotta
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 10 large eggs
- 3 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- To prepare the crust, in a medium bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, and sugar with your hands.
- Using a grater, grate the orange and lemon zests into the flour mixture.
- Reserve the fruit of the orange and lemon for the filling.
- Add the vanilla, eggs, and butter, kneading them into the mixture with your fingertips.
- This dough should have a smooth, even consistency, so if the mixture is still crumbly, add cold water, 1 teaspoon at a time until you can easily form the dough into a ball.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- To prepare the filling, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the ricotta until it has a smooth, even texture.
- Mix in the sugar on medium speed.
- Mixing on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time.
- After all of the eggs have been added, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Mix again on medium speed for about 20 seconds.
- Add the vanilla.
- Either squeezing firmly with your fingers or using a citrus squeezer, add the juices from the orange and lemon (if you are squeezing the juice out with your hands, be sure the pits dont get into the filling mixture).
- Mix the ingredients on medium speed until they are thoroughly combined.
- While assembling the pie, be aware that this dough is extremely delicate (see page 185), so be sure to sprinkle your work surface and rolling pin generously with flour.
- To prepare the pie shell, divide the chilled ball of dough in half.
- Roll out one half to a circle about 12 inches in diameter, approximately 1/4 inch thick.
- Fold the circle in half, place it in a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate so that the edges of the circle drop over the rim, and unfold the dough to completely cover the pie plate.
- Because this dough is so delicate, coat your fingertips with flour before crimping the crust.
- Using your thumb and index fingers, crimp the edges of the pie shell.
- To assemble the pie, spread the filling across the bottom of the pie shell, distributing it evenly.
- Roll out the second half of the dough, again to about 1/4-inch thickness.
- Using a sharp knife or a pastry wheel, cut the round into 3/4-inch strips.
- Place the strips over the top of the pie filling, lattice style, so that the edges of the strips meet the crimped edges of the pie shell.
- Ultimately, you want to create a checkerboard effect, with the lattice strips placed both vertically and horizontally across the pie.
- To bake, place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
- Rotate the pie 180 degrees for even browning.
- Bake for approximately 20 more minutes, or until the pie is firm in the middle.
- Transfer the pie plate to a wire cooling rack and allow the pie to cool completely before serving.
- Sweet Ricotta Pie should be served cold or at room temperature.
- It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Because the dough for the sweet ricotta pie is so delicate, it may tear during the rolling process or while being placed in the pie pan.
- If this does happen, you can easily solve the problem by patching up any holes or tears with dough scraps moistened with a few drops of water applied to the holes, blending together with your fingertips.
flour, baking powder, sugar, orange, lemon, vanilla, eggs, butter, ricotta, sugar, eggs, vanilla
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sweet-ricotta-pie-390402 (may not work)