Summer Ricotta Pie

This is a lightened up version of the traditional Italian Easter Pie or Ricotta Pie. Adding berries makes it the perfect treat for any spring or summer get together. Mine was for Mother's Day.
Happy Mother's Day Mom!!

Summer Ricotta Pie
adapted from "Edible: A Celebration of Local Foods"

1 pie crust (use your favorite recipe or store bought)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup half and half
1 1/2 cups reduced fat ricotta pie
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons Amaretto or Grand Marnier
1/2 pint (1 cup) fresh berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or a mix

Preheat the oven to 350º. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 disk of the pie-crust dough into a round, 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch diameter glass pie plate. Crimp the edge of the crust with your fingers or a fork.
In a medium bowl, add the eggs and sugar; whisk until well blended. Whisk in the half and half and ricotta. Add the orange zest, lemon juice, vanilla, flour, salt and liquor and whisk well to combine.
Pour the ricotta mixture into the pie crust. Scatter the berries evenly over the surface of the ricotta mixture.
Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300º. Bake until the center of the pie is just firm to the touch and no longer jiggles when the pan is gently shaken, 50 minutes to one hour. Cool completely on rack before serving.

The Easiest Tiramisu Ever

Not Traditional, but So What!

If you have ever made tiramisu before than you know it is a little time consuming. It involves making a zabalione which requires a bit of time beating the eggs over low heat in order to ensure that they are safe to eat (no salmonella!). The traditional way to prepare it also requires fresh whipped cream made from scratch- which takes time and not to mention adds more calories. So when I came across this quick, easy and light recipe from Supreme Dairy Farms (located right here in RI!), I knew I had to try it.

The Supreme recipe uses ricotta cheese in place of the mascarpone and no eggs which is not traditional at all for a tiramisu. I would have tried the recipe just as written, but I happened to get a great deal on mascarpone cheese at Whole Foods and it was sitting in the fridge just waiting for a reason to be used! So I obliged.

The other great thing about this recipe is that it can be made ahead and can even be frozen. I actually made this 2 weeks ago and popped it in the freezer. So I am all set to bring it over my brothers house for Thanksgiving, and he is none the wiser. He doesn't need to know that I didn't slave over it like I usually do... (Unless he reads this post, Hi Bro!)
Happy Thanksgiving everyone ;)

The Easiest Tiramisu Ever
adapted from Supreme Ricotta Cheese

24 ladyfingers
3⁄4 cup espresso or strong coffee, cooled
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 -8 3/4 oz container mascarpone cheese
1 cup fat-free or part skim ricotta cheese, well drained
1 -6 oz. container fat-free vanilla yogurt, well drained
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
3 tablespoons amaretto liquor or brandy or coffee liquor
1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup cocoa powder or 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 375°, arrange ladyfingers on baking sheet. Bake until toasted, about 5 mins. Mix the teaspoon of sugar with the espresso and dip ladyfingers in it quickly turning to coat each side.

Arrange half of the ladyfingers in a 2 or 2 1⁄2 quart oval or rectangular serving dish.
In a small bowl, mix mascarpone, ricotta, yogurt, sugar and liquor; beat thoroughly until smooth. Spread half of the mixture on the ladyfingers in the serving dish. Sprinkle with half of the chocolate. Repeat layers of ladyfingers, dipped in espresso, mascarpone mixture and chocolate. Cover with foil and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Dust with cocoa powder or fresh grated orange rind before serving.

Ricotta Pie

Making Traditions Come Alive!

In Rhode Island, and other heavily Italian populated areas, it is tradition on Easter to make and eat rice pies, rice and ricotta pies, also known as pastiera and ricotta pies. Although I am Italian, on my mom's side, she nor I have ever made or even eaten one. Can you believe that? I don't know what took so long but I finally did it. I made a ricotta pie. I have wanted to make one for such a long time and somehow never got to it.

It was so exciting, getting all the ingredients together, trying to figure out which way to go with it. Should I add pineapple, chocolate chips, candied fruit, etc.? I looked at many recipes and and got some ideas from Susan's blog Food Blogga, and also from Emeril. I sort of created my own based on everything I looked at.

Also, it was my first time using a real vanilla bean. YUM!!! So much fun... I will definately be using these again!

I couldn't wait for my mom to try the pie, so I decided to film her first bite...
Here it is.

She's so cute!!! I love her to pieces.


















Italian Ricotta Pie
For the dough:

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter; cut into pieces
1 large egg
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

1 1/2 pounds reduced-fat ricotta cheese, drained well
3/4 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 vanilla bean, inside scraped out
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 12-15 times or until the flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and 2 1/2 tablespoons of water and pulse repeatedly until the mixture forms a ball; adding more water if necessary. Remove the dough from the processor, form a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or place in the freezer while making filling.

Roll the dough out between two sheets of waxed paper to 1/8-inch thick. Fit the dough into a greased spring form pan or a greased 9 1/2-inch deep dish pie pan. If using a spring form pan, pat the dough into the bottom of the pan and up 3/4 of the sides. If using pie plate, trim the edges so that an inch hangs over the sides and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the ricotta cheese, orange zest and vanilla bean scrapings and sugar until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate and pine nuts and stir to combine.

Pour the filling into the pastry-lined pie pan. If using a pie plate crimp the edges decoratively using either your fingers or a fork.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425º; lower temp to 350º and bake for 40 minutes, or until the pastry is light golden brown and the filling is just set (and does not jiggle when moved). If the edges of the pie start to brown, cover them with a piece of aluminum foil wrapped around the pie.

Remove the oven and cool on a wire rack. The pie can be served slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Note: Don't worry too much if you see cracks form on the top of the pie. As it cools, the filling will sink a bit and the crack become less apparent.

Leftover Ricotta? Never.

The Perfect Use For That Leftover Ricotta You Didn't Use In The Lasagna

Even if I don't use an entire container of ricotta cheese in my baked pasta dishes, I never have leftover cheese; and neither will you once you try this cheesecake!

I make two mini cheesecakes, because I have two mini spring pans and they are easy to store. I put one each in a glad lock plastic container. They fit perfectly and the topping will not get messed up with plastic wrap. (That is of course if they make it to the container!)

You don't have to feel too guilty with this recipe, since I use part skim ricotta, non-hydrogenated spread for the graham crust and I reduced the sugar as well. And in my opinion you'd never know!

Mini Ricotta Cheesecakes

6 graham crackers, crushed into crumbs
1/4 cup sugar, plus 4 teaspoons for graham cracker crust (If you like a sweeter cake add another 1/4 cup of sugar to the cheese mixture)
2 tablespoons butter or non-hydrogenated spread
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/8 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a dry pan
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Heat oven to 375°F.
For the crust, mix the graham crumbs with the butter and 4 teaspoons of sugar. Spray the mini spring pans with nonstick cooking spray. Press the graham mixture into the bottom of the pans . Set aside.

In small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, cheese, egg and almond extract; beat at high speed for 1 minute. Pour the ricotta mixture into the prepared pans.

Bake for about 25-27 minutes, or until firm in the center.

Melt seedless raspberry jam in microwave until easy to stir and spread over the tops of the cheesecakes. Sprinkle with toasted almond slices and enjoy!