Roman Ricotta Crostata
This Ricotta Crostata is made in the traditional way with Italian pastry dough, a sweet ricotta filling and a layer of sour cherry jam. A crostata is great as an afternoon snack cake or served for dessert after dinner.
This Roman Ricotta Crostata pairs Italian pastry with a creamy filling for a delicious dessert. It’s a wonderful way to use ricotta in a dessert that is similar to cheesecake but so much more special.
You can find ricotta crostata (crostata ricotta e visciole) displayed in many bakery windows in Rome. It originates from Roman Jewish cuisine, and the combination of the crust, creamy filling, and sour cherries is so delicious.
When we visit Rome, I can’t resist treating myself to a slice, but it’s actually fairly easy to make at home. Like most Italian recipes, it doesn’t have a lot of ingredients and has a simple preparation. I love a slice with a cup of tea or coffee, but it also makes an impressive dessert.
For this recipe, you can easily prepare the dough ahead of time and then prepare the rest the next day. Once it’s baked and cooled, it has a creamy, delicious texture. It really is a dessert you must try.
Ingredients
- One batch of crostata dough
- Ricotta cheese
- Vanilla extract
- Large egg
- Granulated sugar
- Heavy cream – with at least 30% fat
- Chocolate chips – dark or milk chocolate
- Sour cherry jam (visiciolata in Italian)
- Milk
Instructions
Beat the ricotta, vanilla, egg, sugar, and cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Take the prepared dough out of the fridge and knead it a few times to soften it. Divide it in half and roll out one half to an approximately 1/8″ thick round.
Fit the dough in the pan and trim off the excess. If the dough cracks while you’re working with it, lightly flour your fingers and gently press the dough back together. Use a fork to prick holes in the dough.
Spread the cherry jam evenly over the top of the dough. Top the jam with the ricotta mixture and smooth it into an even layer.
Roll the other half of the dough out and slice it into ten strips. Arrange them in a lattice pattern on top of the filling.
Brush the top of the crostata with milk and bake until it’s golden brown. Allow it to fully cool before slicing and serving.
If the top is browning too much, cover with foil and continue baking. Let cool before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Sour cherries are traditional in this recipe, but if you can’t find sour cherry jam, regular cherry preserves or jam is a good substitute.
- Remember to plan ahead and make the crust, so it has time to chill in the refrigerator. I often make it the day before, or I make a batch of crostata dough and freeze it.
- If your ricotta cheese is watery, drain it in a sieve for 30 minutes to thicken it.
- Sometimes I make an extra rich filling and use double the amount of ricotta, but this is optional.
- The chocolate chips are optional, but I always include them.
- Cover the crostata with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator if you don’t plan to serve it right away.
FAQs
Any leftovers should be covered tightly in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge. It will last for up to 2-3 days in the fridge.
Yes you can freeze it, wrap tightly in plastic wrap then place in a freezer safe airtight bag, it will keep for up to 3 months in the freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Crostata di Ricotta is such a wonderful way to get a taste of Italy without booking a trip! It’s perfect for a special occasion or it’s a great anytime dessert. It’s cool and creamy with amazing flavor. Enjoy!
More Crostata Ideas
- Lemon Crostata
- Classic Italian Crostata
- Italian Pistachio Ricotta Crostata
- Homemade Italian Apple Crostata
- Italian Berry Ricotta Pie
Roman Ricotta Crostata
Ingredients
- 1 Italian Crostata Dough Recipe
RICOTTA FILLING
- 1-2 cups ricotta cheese (room temperature)*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- ¼-½ cup granulated sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons cream (heavy/whole or whipping/room temperature)
- ¼ cup chocolate chips (optional)
*If you like a very rich crostata then use 2 cups if not 1 cup will be enough.
EXTRAS
- ¼-½ cup sour cherry jam (visiciolata in Italian)
Instructions
- Prepare the Italian Crostata Dough.
- While the dough is chilling make the filling, in a medium – large bowl beat until smooth the ricotta, vanilla, egg, sugar and cream, fold in the chocolate chips if using.
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Grease and flour an 8 or 9 inch (20-22 cm) pie plate or springform tart pan.
- Remove the dough from fridge and knead the dough a couple of times to soften it up, divide the dough into 2 parts, place one part on a floured flat surface. Roll out to 1/8″ thickness round circle. Be sure to flour the rolling pin also.
- Transfer the dough circle to the prepared pie plate, if the dough fall apart or breaks, don't worry just patch it up with your fingers (lightly floured or wet), trim the dish of any extra dough. Prick the dough with the tongs of a fork,
- Spread the cherry jam evenly on the top of the dough. Spread the Ricotta cream mixture evenly over the jam.
- Roll out the 2nd part and cut to make 10 strips to create a lattice finish. Place 5 of the strips across the pie and the other 5 over in a criss cross form (see photos).
- Brush the top of the crostata lightly with milk and bake for approximately 35-45 minutes or until golden. If the top is browning too much, then cover with foil and continue baking. Let cool before serving. Enjoy!
What size tart pan do you use? 9 inch?
Hi MW, I used an 8 inch but a 9 inch would also work. Take care!
what brand sour cherry jam did you use? attempting to make this for a little baking contest at work!
Hi Samantha, I used a store bought sour cherry jam from the grocery store in Italy. In Italy it’s called visiciolata. Hope that helps. Take care and good luck, let me know how it goes.
I am always confused which ricotta to use in recipes there is a creamy one in tubs or the one they cut in the deli and then there is the one you buy in the cheese section in a green basket vacuum sealed. Is there a difference and which one is used for what
Hi Deb, I would say the creamy one for desserts and the green basket is best for savory recipes. The deli one I would probably use to eat raw or toss with pasta. I hope they helps. Take care!
I made this a couple weeks ago. Everyone liked it, even my 25 year old son who is very picky, I mean very picky about what he eats. I am making 2 more this week for the Thanksgiving feast. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Cathy, thanks so much, so glad you son enjoy it too! Happy Thanksgiving! Take care.
I have a lot of impastata style ricotta which I use for cannoli, it is thick and drier than supermarket ricotta. Can it be used in this recipe?
Hi Deb, that should work, you have to beat it so it will cream up, if you still find it too dry add an extra tablespoon of cream. I hope you like it, let me know how it goes. Take care!
A little confused, is it one cup or two? If 1half cup, that amount appears later in the recipe, it is clearly 1/2 and 1/4. Maybe I didn’t read the blog carefully enough but could find anything. Thanks
Hi Martha, I wrote in the recipe card if you like a very rich crostata then use 2 cups if not 1 cup will be enough. It’s up to you. I don’t see anywhere I wrote 1/2 or 1/4. 🙂
I have made recipe many times. We have experimented with various jams. Lately, we have been making it with orange marmalade. The chocolate chips and orange are great together. After the pie is made and cool do you recommend putting it in the fridge?
Hi Cynthia, thanks glad you like it. And yes because of the ricotta it should be refrigerated. Have a great weekend!