Easter Sweet Ricotta Pie (Printable)

Traditional Italian tart with creamy ricotta and fresh lemon zest for a bright, sweet finish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

→ Ricotta Filling

09 - 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese, well drained
10 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
11 - 3 large eggs
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Zest of 2 lemons
14 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
15 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
16 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 cup heavy cream

→ Finishing

18 - Powdered sugar for dusting

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and rub between fingertips until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
02 - Mix in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until dough just comes together without overworking.
03 - Shape dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch pie or tart pan with butter or cooking spray.
05 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough to fit pan. Gently press into bottom and up sides, trim excess overhang, prick base with fork, and chill for 10 minutes.
06 - In a large bowl, whisk together drained ricotta, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, salt, and heavy cream until completely smooth with no lumps.
07 - Pour ricotta filling into prepared pastry shell and smooth the top surface evenly with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until filling is set and lightly golden on top. The center should show a slight wobble when gently shaken, indicating proper custard consistency.
09 - Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours before slicing to allow filling to fully set.
10 - Dust generously with powdered sugar immediately before serving. Slice with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts for neat presentation.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The filling is silky and cloud-like, with lemon brightness that doesn't overpower but whispers instead.
  • Your kitchen will smell like a lemon grove during baking, and that alone makes it worth the effort.
  • It looks fancy enough for a holiday table but tastes like comfort wrapped in pastry.
02 -
  • Draining your ricotta is absolutely essential—I learned this when my first attempt turned out watery and my filling didn't set properly; now I drain it for a full hour in cheesecloth or a fine strainer.
  • The slight wobble in the center when you pull it from the oven is your friend, not a sign of failure—it firms up perfectly as it cools, and pulling it out too late means a dense, almost rubbery filling instead of the silky texture you're after.
03 -
  • Use a microplane zester for the lemon zest—it captures all those aromatic oils and distributes them finely throughout the filling in a way that a box grater simply can't match.
  • If your ricotta seems particularly wet, drain it overnight in cheesecloth suspended over a bowl in the refrigerator—this single step can be the difference between a perfect pie and a slightly loose one.
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