Winter

Crostata alla Ricotta and Chocolate Chips

March 11, 2011
0
0 Ratings
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

This crostata is made with pasta frolla, a sweet pastry dough. The dough is light and flaky. Buttery and tender when you put your fork in. The creamy ricotta filling has a lovely touch of tartness from the lemon zest and just the perfect amount of chocolate and a delicious hint of espresso! This can be filled with nutella or your favorite jam. —cake duchess

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 10.54 ounces pastry flour
  • 7.025 ounces unsalted butter
  • 3.512 ounces ounces granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 pounds ricotta
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon ground espresso
  • zest one lemon
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
  1. Pasta Frolla: In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour and sugar and process a few times to mix together. Next add the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the egg and yolk and process a few seconds more until the dough forms (this should be about 5-7 more pulses). Be sure to not overprocess the dough.
  2. Dump the dough from the food processor bowl onto a lightly floured counter. Form the dough into a disk and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 375°F with a foil-lined large baking sheet on middle rack.
  4. When dough is nicely chilled, remove from the refrigerator. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a 13-inch round about 1/8 thick.
  5. Spray an 11-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom with baking spray. Gently wrap the dough over the rolling pin and place it over the tart pan; release the rolling pin and let the dough fall into the tart pan.
  6. Press the sides of the dough about 1/2 inch up the side of the tart pan. The rim of the tart should be lined with a slightly thicker layer of pastry than the bottom (about 1/4-inch thick). Cut off the extra dough from the sides and keep these excess pieces to make the lattice topping.
  7. Place this tart pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes (or even longer if necessary) to chill.
  8. Roll out the remaining piece of dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out lattice strips to layer on top of the ricotta mixture. Place the lattice strips cut-outs on a rimmed baking sheet in the refrigerator until you are ready to layer them on top of the crostata mixture.
  9. Fold the egg whites, espresso, lemon zest, and vanilla into the ricotta mixture.
  10. Fold in the chocolate chips
  11. Pour the filling gently into the crostata. Flatten it out with a spoon or a spatula. Layer the latice strips in a criss-cross design. Set the crostata in the oven and bake at 325 for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is just set.
  12. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature on a rack. Carefully remove the fluted ring from around the crostata and transfer the crostata your serving plate.
  13. Dust with powdered sugar.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Burnt Offerings
    Burnt Offerings
  • lastnightsdinner
    lastnightsdinner
  • cookinginvictoria
    cookinginvictoria
  • chefpandita
    chefpandita
  • Diethood
    Diethood

12 Reviews

Burnt O. March 16, 2011
So different! Can't wait for an excuse to make it!
 
lastnightsdinner March 16, 2011
Wow - looks and sounds fabulous!
 
cookinginvictoria March 12, 2011
Just beautiful with all of the flavors I love. I can't wait to try it!
 
rhinna March 11, 2011
This crostata is *amazing*. What I love most about it (besides it being Italian!) is that you can taste the lemon, ricotta, and chocolate. Each are separate and distinct. It's not too sweet, the ricotta is creamy and oh.my.gosh. it's perfect. 'nuff said! (and mine looked just like your picture Duchess :)!)

The only thing I did differently was use mini chips.
 
rhinna March 11, 2011
(oops! I didn't put the espresso in - hubby doesn't like coffee)
 
chefpandita March 11, 2011
I just LIKED this recipe! Looks amazing, Lora :) xo
 
Diethood March 11, 2011
Ah this sounds amazing! It's on my "after Lent" list of recipes. :)
 
cake D. March 11, 2011
Hi drbabs-Yes, the lattice strips go on after you spread the ricotta mixture into the crust. You layer on the strips and then bake the crostata.:)
 
Marnely March 11, 2011
Great Recipe and Looks so Good! Thanks for sharing :)
 
Georgiecakes March 11, 2011
You're such a great baker, I'm enamored with all your recipes, especially this one.
 
drbabs March 11, 2011
It does look amazing. One technical question. When do you put the top crust on? Presumably before you put it into the oven?
 
Jennifer P. March 11, 2011
This looks amazing. Going to the top of my must make list!