Ricotta tart is a classic Italian pastry which is loved and imitated worldwide. The fragrance of the pastry, combined with the fabulous and delicate creaminess of the filling made with ricotta cheese, make this a dessert suitable for all occasions. Whether as a snack, a party dish for children, or just at the end of a meal, the ricotta tart always impresses. Even those who do not particularly like the desserts will enjoy it as it is not excessively sweet; on the contrary, it offers a delicate lightness on the palate. Try it in its classic, simple form, or do as we did, adding candied fruit and chocolate chips. The outcome will be delicious. Don’t forget, after making the pastry, to allow it to rest in the fridge before you roll it out, and to choose only top quality fresh ricotta, made with cow’s milk or mixed cow and sheep’s milk.

With the flour, butter and eggs, prepare a sweet shortcrust pastry to which you add a pinch of salt and the finely grated zest of half a lemon. Let it rest for a while wrapped in aluminium foil. In a bowl, prepare a mixture with the sieved ricotta, sugar, egg yolks and the whole egg, the finely grated zest of half a lemon and an orange, a pinch of cinnamon and a glass of rum, to form a smooth, well-combined mixture. Lay some of the pastry dough on the bottom of a greased, round baking tray, leaving the edges a little higher, and pour in the ricotta mixture. With the remaining dough, arrange them in strips to form a circular, latticed edge on the outer edge of the base above the ricotta mixture. Brush these strips with the beaten egg and bake in a moderate oven (180 °C) until the strips are well browned. Allow to cool before serving and sprinkle with vanilla sugar.