Ricotta Pie
This is a covered crust confection from my wife’s family tradition, but other family friends in Boston’s North End also prepare it as a lattice pie. The sweet, cookie-dough-like crust is essential (I learned after baking it in my regular, not-so-sweet piecrust way). Bakeries often add mini chocolate chips or lemon zest to the filling for a twist on the classic tradition.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoons whiskey
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 cups cold water
- powdered sugar for dusting
Filling
- 8 eggs
- 1 cups sugar
- 1 Quart(s) ricotta
- splash of whiskey
- egg yolk for brushing the crust
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°.
- For the crust, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- Mix the butter, sugar and egg until fluffy. Stir in the whiskey and vanilla and then beat in the dry mixture.
- Add water by the tablespoon to bring the crust together, if needed.
- Dump the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead to blend well.
- Divide and shape the dough into 2 discs, one a little larger than the other.
- Roll the larger one between 2 sheets of wax paper to 1/8-inch thickness for the bottom crust. Place in a pie pan and trim the overhang. Roll out the top crust in the same way to have it ready when you make the filling.
- For the filling, beat the eggs until foamy.
- Gradually add the sugar.
- Add the ricotta and whiskey and stir to combine well. Pour into the prepared crust.
- Crimp the edges of the top crust to the bottom crust.
- Brush the top crust with a beaten egg yolk and score with a sharp knife to allow movement and venting as the filling expands.
- Bake for 1 hour.
- The filling will still jiggle when pulled out of the oven but will firm up from residual heat as it cools.
- Allow the pie to cool completely before cutting. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar to serve.
- Store refrigerated for up to 5 days.
