Easter Sweet Ricotta Pie (Print Version)

Creamy ricotta filling with lemon zest nestled in a tender pastry crust for a spring dessert.

# 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 butter and rub with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
02 - Mix in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time, stirring until dough just comes together.
03 - Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch pie or tart pan.
05 - On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to fit pan. Gently press into bottom and up sides. Trim excess and prick base with fork. Chill for 10 minutes.
06 - In a large bowl, whisk together ricotta, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, salt, and heavy cream until smooth.
07 - Pour filling into prepared pastry shell and smooth the top surface.
08 - Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until filling is set and lightly golden. Center should have slight wobble when gently shaken.
09 - Allow pie to cool on a wire rack until room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.
10 - Dust with powdered sugar immediately before serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The filling is impossibly creamy without being heavy, almost like eating a cloud that somehow tastes like spring.
  • Lemon zest wakes up your palate in a way that feels elegant but never complicated.
  • It actually improves after sitting in the fridge, so you can make it ahead and be the person who shows up with dessert already done.
02 -
  • Draining your ricotta is the difference between a creamy, luxurious filling and a watery disappointment—I learned this the hard way when my first attempt came out slightly weeping and lost half its charm.
  • That slight wobble in the center when the pie comes out of the oven is essential; it keeps cooking as it cools and sets into the perfect texture, so resist the urge to bake it until it looks completely solid.
  • The pie actually tastes better the next day, so if you have time, make it in advance—the flavors marry together beautifully and everything becomes even more silky.
03 -
  • If your ricotta seems watery, drain it through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth for 30 minutes before using; this single step elevates the entire pie.
  • The pie sets up beautifully overnight in the fridge, so bake it a day ahead if you're serving it for company and want to enjoy the actual gathering instead of stressing in the kitchen.
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