Sweet Ricotta Pie

This dessert uses pasta frolla, a sweet Italian pie dough for the base and lattice. The filling used here in this recipe can be made in minutes. It uses just 5 ingredients and Anisette, a licorice-flavoured liqueur, is the traditional flavouring for this type of cheese cake, but you can use anise extract or alter the flavour completely by substituting vanilla or almond extract, using brandy, or mixing in a little fruit-flavoured liqueur, such as Grand Marnier.

I made a mini version of this recipe as i had to serve just 2 people. I reduced the recipe into half (reduced all the ingredients for filling by half and used just 1 large egg) and used 4 mini tart molds instead of a large one. I loved this dessert as it has a light cheese filling and a crisp cookie feel base. I freezed half the recipe of pasta frolla and will be using it for other recipes.

Recipe adapted from "Baking With Julia"

Ingredients required;

1 pound, OR 450 gms whole milk ricotta
1/3 cup sugar, ( i added a little extra for the sweetness)
1 tbsp anisette or 1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 recipe Pasta Frolla

Method;

Stir in ricotta, sugar, anisette, and eggs together in a bowl until smooth; set aside.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Butter a 9-inch glass pie plate. (If you dont have a glass pie plate, use metal, but increase the oven temperature to 375 deg F.) (I used mini tart molds)

Working with 2/3 rd of the dough, knead it into a disc and roll it on a lightly floured work surface into a 12 inch circle. Transfer the dough to the pie plate and press it gently against the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Dont worry if the dough tears-just press it back together. Use the dull side of the knife to trim the excess dough even with the rim. Srape the filling into the pie shell, smooth the top, and dust with cinnamon.

Forming the lattice
Knead and shape the remaining piece of dough into a block and roll it on a lightly floured surface into a 9-inch square. Using a pizza or pastry cutter ( a ruffle-edged pastry wheel is nice) or a thin sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 even strips. To form the lattice top, lay 6 of the strips across the pie at 1 1/4 inch intervals, then crisscross with the remaining strips, placing them diagonally across the first strips. Trim the ends of the lattice even with the edge of the pan.

Baking the Pie
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is firm and slightly puffed. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool completely before serving.

Storing ;
Leftovers can be kept, well covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.