Italian ricotta pie

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Italian ricotta pie (crostata) is a classic dessert that everyone loves. This pie is filled with creamy ricotta cheese and chocolate chips. The pie crust is made with pasta frolla the classic italian dough for crostata.

As I might mentioned before, I love the simplicity in italian desserts. How basic ingredients like flour, butter and eggs transforms into a wonderful crostata with the perfect texture or a moist and super soft ricotta cake that everyone loves.

What is pasta frolla?

Pasta frolla is an italian sweet pie dough made with flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. Depending on the recipe, sometimes baking powder is added to get a lightly fluffy texture.

Pasta frolla can have some aromas and flavours like lemon, vanilla, almonds, orange, rum, etc.

Is a very easy dough to make and used in many italian treats, not only pies but also cookies and cakes.

Tips and tricks

• Butter need to bee cold. Straight from the fridge. After you cut it into small cubes, place it again in the fridge for about 15 minutes (or 5 minutes in the freeze).
• Resting time. Don’t skip it, it really helps the dough to have a better texture once baked.
• Ricotta. Use whole ricotta and avoid the “light” versions because they’re watery and that’s not good for the filling.
• Baking. If you see the crostata getting too brown before baking time ends; cover with parchment paper for the remaining time.
• Serving. This type of pie is better to make ahead of time and serve the day after; this way the ricotta filling will be firm.

Italian ricotta pie recipe

In a mixer bowl add flour and baking powder. Add butter, half of sugar, one whole egg, a yolk and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.

With the paddles attached, mix on medium high until all ingredients are combined.

Dust with flour a working surface, place the dough and very gently form a ball. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for one hour. 

Heat the oven at 175°C / 340 F. Grease a 24cm / 10″ pie dish.

In a medium bowl mix ricotta with the remaining sugar, one egg and one teaspoon of vanilla extract until everything is combined and there are no lumps.

Add chocolate chips and gently mix.

Take out the dough from the fridge and divide it in two portions. Leave one of the portions in fridge until needed.

Using two sheets of parchment paper, roll the dough with a rolling pin until is about 28-30 cm (11″) wide and 0,5cm (0,20″) thick.

Transfer the dough to the pie dish taking care that it fits nicely into the bottom and the sides.

Pour in the ricotta mixture and use a spatula to spread evenly.

Take out the remaining dough. Roll it to 30 cm (11″) wide and 0,5cm (0,20″) thick.

OPTIONAL: If you want, you can make some nice shapes decorations like we did for this recipe. Flowers for easter, leaves for fall season or also snowflakes for christmas.

Cover the crostata with the dough and cut strips from remaining dough. Make a lattice pattern, then fold in the edges of the crostata over the lattices. 

Beat the egg and brush the crostata. Bake for about 50 min to 1 hour in the middle rack.

Take off the pie from the pan and let it cool completely before slicing.

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Italian ricotta pie

Italian ricotta pie (crostata) is a classic dessert that everyone loves. This pie is filled with creamy ricotta cheese and chocolate chips.

Course dessert

Cuisine italian

Keyword chocolate, crostata, italian desserts, italian pie, ricotta

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

resting time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Maricruz

Ingredients

• 250 gr all purpose flour
• 150 gr butter cold, cut in small cubes
• 3 medium eggs about 160-170 gr
• 1 egg yolk
• 200 gr white sugar
• 500 gr ricotta cheese
• 50 gr chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp baking powder

Instructions

• In a mixer bowl add flour and baking powder. Add butter, half of sugar, one whole egg, a yolk and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.
• With the paddles attached, mix on medium high until all ingredients are combined.
• Dust with flour a working surface, place the dough and very gently form a ball. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for one hour.
• Heat the oven at 175°C / 340 F. Grease a 24cm / 10″ pie dish.
• In a medium bowl mix ricotta with the remaining sugar, one egg and one teaspoon of vanilla extract until everything is combined and there are no lumps.
• Add chocolate chips and gently mix.
• Take out the dough from the fridge and divide it in two portions. Leave one of the portions in fridge until needed.
• Using two sheets of parchment paper, roll the dough with a rolling pin until is about 28-30 cm (11″) wide and 0,5cm (0,20″) thick.
• Transfer the dough to the pie dish taking care that it fits nicely into the bottom and the sides.
• Pour in the ricotta mixture and use a spatula to spread evenly.
• Take out the remaining dough. Roll it to 30 cm (11″) wide and 0,5cm (0,20″) thick.
• Cover the crostata with the dough and cut strips from remaining dough. Make a lattice pattern, then fold in the edges of the crostata over the lattices. (read notes)
• Beat the egg and brush the crostata.
• Bake for 50 min to 1 hour in the middle rack.

Notes

 If you want, you can make some nice shapes decorations like we did for this recipe. Flowers for easter, leaves for fall season or also snowflakes for christmas.