Easter sweet ricotta pie (Printable)

Traditional Italian tart with creamy ricotta and fresh lemon zest inside a flaky pastry shell.

# 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

# Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold butter cubes and rub between fingertips until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
02 - Mix in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time, stirring gently until dough just comes together without overworking.
03 - Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch pie or tart pan with butter or cooking spray.
05 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough to fit pan. Gently press into bottom and sides, trim excess, prick base with a fork, and chill for 10 minutes.
06 - In a large bowl, whisk together drained ricotta, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, salt, and heavy cream until completely smooth and well combined.
07 - Pour ricotta mixture into prepared pastry shell and smooth the surface with a spatula until level.
08 - Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until filling is set and lightly golden on top. Center should have a slight wobble when gently shaken.
09 - Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.
10 - Dust generously with powdered sugar just before serving for an elegant presentation.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The filling is silky and light without feeling overly sweet, so the bright lemon actually shines instead of getting buried.
  • Your kitchen will smell incredible while it bakes, and that golden, slightly wobbling center is pure satisfaction when you pull it from the oven.
  • It's impressive enough for a holiday table but forgiving enough that even a small mistake won't derail you.
02 -
  • Drain your ricotta the night before—and I mean really drain it, sitting in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl in the fridge for hours—because fresh ricotta contains a surprising amount of water that will make your filling collapse and separate if you don't remove it.
  • Don't skip the chill time for the dough or for the final cooling; these rests aren't fussy steps, they're the difference between a pie that falls apart and one that slices with elegant precision.
03 -
  • If your pastry cracks while you're fitting it into the pan, don't panic—just patch it with scraps of dough and press gently; it will seal itself during baking and no one will ever know.
  • The slight wobble in the center of the filling when it comes out of the oven is not a mistake; it means the pie will be creamy and perfect rather than dry and cakey, which is what happens when people bake it until it's completely firm.
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