AUNT GIANNA’S RICOTTA PIE – Recipe by Piero Benigni – This pie is really tasty although there are no milk, butter, flour and baking powder. Light, healthy and not too sweet, it is easily prepared in 10-15 minutes then cooked for 45 more minutes in the oven. The result is a delicious dessert and a great all-day snack!
Ingredients for 8 persons
- 650 gricotta cheese (22 oz)
- 3eggs
- 150 gcornstarch (or potato starch, 5 1/4 oz)
- 100 gsugar (3 1/2 oz)
- 1 cupgreek yogurt (5.3 oz)
- 1orange (Navel type, medium size)
Tools for Aunt Gianna’s ricotta pie
- Oven
- Bowl
- Whip electric
- Pan 12″ diameter
- Wooden Spoon or rubber spatula
- Grater
- Non stick spray
- Scale
PREMISE
The ricotta cheese almost always contains some whey and it is necessary to remove it as much as possible. You can do this in 2 ways. The first is to put it in a colander, spread it with a fork on the inner surface, spread a good pinch of salt and let drain for some hours with the colander placed on a bowl. Better yet, to keep it overnight in the fridge.
If you don’t have all this time, the alternative method is to put the ricotta in a clean cloth, pull the flaps up, form a ball then twist and squeeze firmly. The whey will come out by crossing the fabric texture. Moreover, it is advisable to choose a thick yougurt like the Greek one. This is quite important, because a thick yogurt and a well-drained ricotta ensure a better outcome.
Use a non-stick round pan, 11″ size (28 cm) and at least 1 1/8″ (3 cm) high or a rectangular pan of the same surface. Mine was 12″x8″ (cm 20×30). The pie should be not very thick when cooked, about 1/2″ or a little more. Spray the pan with a non-stick spray or butter it, then flour it with care. Turn on the oven at 340 °F (170 °C), heat above and below, not fan-assisted mode.
Quickly mix eggs and sugar with the whip – no need of beating because there will be no leavening of the pie – then grate the orange zest into the bowl and add ricotta, starch and yogurt. Mix well again and pour the dough in the pan.
Cooking the Aunt Gianna’s ricotta pie
Put the pan in the oven, halfway up, and cook for 30 minutes, then switch to fan-assistance for 15 more minutes or until the surface becomes light-brown with some darker spots, as shown in the photo. If the oven has no fan, leave the heat above only or move the pan one position in height.
When cooking is done, take out and let cool down 3 or 4 minutes, then carefully put the pie on a grill for 30 minutes. It will drop some of the water contained inside and will last better and longer.
Now the pie can be eaten, but it will be at his best after a few hours and the following day, with powdered sugar on top. It will last 2 days in the air or in the fridge, since it is very good also eaten cold, but avoid covering it with a bell. I suggest not to freeze it.
NOTES
– The ricotta in the pie always retains some moisture which over time passes to the surface and absorbs the powdered sugar. So put it only some minutes before serving the cake.
– If you have fairly dry ricotta it is not necessary to eliminate the whey, but remember to add a pinch of salt in the dough. The same if you drain out the whey with the twisted cloth. A little salt acts as flavour enhancer in all cakes and pies.