Ingredients
For pastry dough
1 pound (about 4 cups) flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) lard, room temperature
2 eggs
1/8 cup Sherry
For filling
3 pounds (about 8 cups) ricotta cheese
2/3 cup milk
1 cup sugar
8 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon almond extract
2 tablespoons citron, finely diced
1/2 pound (about 2 cups) blanched hazelnuts
For dusting
about 1/8 cup icing sugar
Equipment needed
Two 10 1/2-inch wide and 2 1/2-inch deep pie pans
Yield: 2 Venetian lattice-top ricotta pies
Directions
For pastry dough
Sift together salt and flour; cut in lard, add eggs and Sherry (if the dough is to hard add a touch of water).
Divide the dough into 4 portions -- 2 larger ones which will be used for the bottom, and 2 smaller ones for the lattice tops.
For filling
Combine ricotta, milk and sugar. Work through fine sieve (Or use electric blender).
Blend with eggs and flavoring, till very smooth.
Using a wooden spoon mix in the citron.
Line the well-greased pie pans with the rolled out pastry dough.
Pour the cheese mixture into the pans.
Place lattice strips of pastry over the tops of the pie.
Place the hazelnuts in the cheese mixture, between the lattice strips.
Bake in a moderate preheated 375 F. degrees oven until the center is dry and the pie crust is golden -- about 38 to 48 minutes.
Cool.
Keep in fridge till needed.
Before serving dust with icing sugar.
Notes
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 on the on-line public library, www.openlibrary.org. P.S. The original recipe in this entry called for very little sugar in the filling -- 4 ounces and it called for a lot of hazelnuts -- 1 pound. Those who like their ricotta pies with very little sugar, might use less sugar than indicated in this entry. If one likes a lot of hazelnuts one can use the original 1 pound. Comments and photo: Mary Melfi. |
