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Creamy Sicilian Ricotta Pie Recipe

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3.9 from 58 reviews

  • Author: Ava
  • Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings

Description

This Creamy Sicilian Ricotta Pie is a luscious, traditional Italian dessert featuring a tender buttery crust filled with a smooth, sweetened ricotta mixture infused with fresh lemon zest. Finished with a fluffy mascarpone cream topping and extra lemon zest, this pie offers a perfect balance of creamy texture and bright citrus flavors. Ideal for special occasions or a delightful treat, this recipe includes detailed instructions for making the pastry from scratch and blind baking it to achieve a crisp, golden-brown crust.

Ingredients

Pastry Crust

  • 200 g Pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
  • 60 g Powdered sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Baking powder
  • 100 g Unsalted butter (very cold, cut into cubes)
  • 50 g Egg (approx. 1 egg)

Ricotta Filling

  • 500 g Ricotta (creamy, drained if watery)
  • 85 g Granulated sugar
  • 3 Egg yolks (room temperature)
  • 100 g Heavy cream (36% fat, room temperature)
  • 10 g Corn starch
  • Zest of 2 lemons

Mascarpone Decoration

  • 100 g Mascarpone (high fat content, cold)
  • 50 g Heavy cream (36% fat content, cold)
  • 20 g Powdered sugar (sifted)
  • Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

  1. Prepare Ricotta Filling: If ricotta is watery, drain it first. Whip the room temperature ricotta with an electric hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
  2. Add Sugar and Cornstarch: Add granulated sugar and whip for another minute. Then add corn starch and whip until fully combined.
  3. Incorporate Egg Yolks and Cream: Add the room temperature egg yolks one at a time while continuously whipping. Next, whip in the room temperature heavy cream until mixture is smooth.
  4. Add Lemon Zest: Fold in the zest of 2 lemons gently, then set the mixture aside.
  5. Make Pie Crust Dry Mix: Sift together flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
  6. Cut in Cold Butter: Add very cold butter cubes to the dry mix and rub with your hands until it resembles coarse sand.
  7. Add Egg and Form Dough: Add egg and mix by hand just until dough comes together. Knead briefly until smooth, being careful not to overwork.
  8. Chill Dough: If dough becomes too warm or sticky, refrigerate for 10-15 minutes. Then roll it between two silicone mats to desired thickness.
  9. Freeze Rolled Dough: Chill the rolled dough with silicone mats in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove mats afterward.
  10. Fit Dough into Pie Dish: Trim dough to approximately 27 cm (10-11 inches) in diameter and transfer carefully to a 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish. Fold excess dough under and flute edges using fingers.
  11. Freeze Crust: Place the pie crust back in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
  12. Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 170°C (338°F).
  13. Blind Bake Crust: Line pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights (or rice). Blind bake for 20 minutes.
  14. Finish Baking Crust: Remove weights and parchment, bake for another 20 minutes until crust is golden brown on bottom and sides. Cool for 15 minutes at room temperature.
  15. Fill Pie: Pour ricotta filling into fully baked crust. Cover pastry edges with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
  16. Bake Filled Pie: Bake for about 45 minutes until edges of filling are set but center is slightly wobbly. Crust should be golden brown. Avoid overbaking to prevent drying or cracks.
  17. Cool and Set: Allow pie to rest at room temperature for 3 hours to fully set before slicing.
  18. Prepare Mascarpone Decoration: Whip cold mascarpone, cold heavy cream, and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy (1-2 minutes). Avoid overbeating to keep texture stable.
  19. Decorate Pie: Transfer whipped mascarpone to a piping bag with preferred tip and decorate around pie edges. Dust with lemon zest.
  20. Serve and Store: Serve immediately or refrigerate the pie for 2-3 days.

Notes

  • Drain ricotta well to avoid watery filling.
  • Do not overknead the dough to maintain a tender crust.
  • Chilling the dough multiple times helps achieve a flaky, crisp crust.
  • Blind baking the crust prevents sogginess from the wet filling.
  • Do not overbake the pie filling to prevent cracks and dryness.
  • Letting the pie cool and set at room temperature enhances the texture before slicing.
  • Use fresh lemon zest for bright citrus flavor.
  • Use pie weights or dry rice for blind baking the crust.
  • Whip mascarpone cream just to smooth fluffiness; overbeating causes runniness.
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian

Find it online: https://quickandsweetrecipes.com/creamy-sicilian-ricotta-pie-recipe/