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Torta de ricota
Lemon ricotta tart
Argentinian lemony ricotta tart with a lattice top
Italian families brought ricotta tarts to Buenos Aires and Rosario, and torta de ricota is now as Argentinian as mate: every panadería has one in the window, with a lattice of sweet, crumbly masa frola over a pale, lemon-scented ricotta filling. It is cut into wedges for the merienda, the late-afternoon snack, or for a birthday where nobody wants a heavy cake. The texture is light and slightly grainy rather than silky, and the pastry tastes of butter and vanilla. Wet ricotta is the biggest risk, giving a weeping, soggy tart. Chef's tip: drain the ricotta overnight in the fridge in a sieve lined with a cloth, and add a few raisins only if they have been soaked, or they draw moisture from the filling.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- 4 ½ oz buttersoft
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the filling
- 1 ⅛ lb ricottawell drained
- 4 oz caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ oz cornflour
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ⅜ oz raisins (optional)soaked in warm water and drained
To finish
- 1 tbsp milkfor brushing the lattice
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Beat 4 ½ oz butter with 3 ½ oz caster sugar until creamy, then beat in 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp lemon zest and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Add 10 ½ oz plain flour and 1 tsp baking powder and press into a soft dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and butter a 24 cm loose-based tart tin. Roll two-thirds of the pastry to 4 mm, line the tin and prick the base.
Step 3: Beat 1 ⅛ lb ricotta with 4 oz caster sugar, 2 eggs, ⅔ oz cornflour, 2 tsp lemon zest and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in 1 ⅜ oz raisins if using. Pour into the case and smooth the top.
Step 4: Roll the rest of the pastry and cut 1.5 cm strips. Lay them over the filling in a lattice, press the ends onto the rim and trim. Brush the strips with 1 tbsp milk.
Step 5: Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the lattice is golden and the filling is set and puffed, with only a slight wobble in the centre.
50 minStep 6: Cool completely in the tin, then chill for an hour before slicing for clean wedges. Keeps for 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does torta de ricota take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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