3 3/4 pounds ricotta (about 8 1/2 cups, or 3 ricotta containers each 475 grams)
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 large egg yolks, beaten
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
2 1/2 tablespoons raisins
2 1/2 tables candied orange peel, finely diced
6 egg whites, beaten stiff

For decoration
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

Equipment needed
TWO pie pans, floured and buttered about 10 1/2 inches wide and about 2 1/2 inches deep

YIELD: 2 Sicilian Ricotta pies

Mix together the ricotta, salt, flour, sugar, vanilla, egg yolks and orange zest; beat at least 5 minutes.

Add raisins and candied orange peel.

Fold in beaten egg whites.

Divide the batter in two, pour it into the two floured and butter pie pans.

Bake in moderate oven, 375 degrees F. until done -- about 28 to 38 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool.

Keep in fridge until needed.

Before serving sprinkle with icing sugar and cinnamon.

The recipe in this entry was adapted from one published in the cookbook, "Italian Cookbook for Quantity Service, Authentic Professional Recipes" by Harry Caleva (New York: Ahrens Publishing, 1956). The cookbook can be borrowed for free at the on-line public library, www.openbook.org ... I tried this recipe and found it to be very good. Unlike many other ricotta pies, the cheese batter did not rise substantially in the oven and then fall flat. That was a very pleasant surprise. Even though the original directions for this recipe call for more than 1 pie pan to be used, I decided to use 1 large cake pan (with a removable bottom) because I like cheese cakes to be high. I used a large cake pan with a removable bottom -- 9 1/2-inch wide and 4-inch deep; the pie while baking was about 3 1/4 inches high, and after baking 3 inches high -- a very nice height for a ricotta pie. If one is using the entire cheese batter for one pie a large and deep baking pan is needed, as the batter could easily over-flow while baking (It didn't happen to me, but it could theoretically happen). Those who like ricotta pies and are not frightened off by the price of making this recipe (Ricotta is quite expensive these days) might enjoy making this recipe. I myself didn't follow the directions to the letter -- I didn't add the raisins and candied orange peel called for but I did top the pie with icing sugar and cinnamon and found this combination very pleasant. The recipes in Harry Caleva's cookbook seem to indicate that not only was the author a good archivist, but he was also a really good chef. In fact, quite a few recipes in his book are his personal take on classic Italian recipes. And they all look quite good. Comments and photo: Mary Melfi.

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