Italian Ricotta and Lemon Breakfast Crostata

Name: Italian Ricotta and Lemon Breakfast Crostata
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting; spoon into the cup and level off; ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine salt; 1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated; 8 tbsp (115 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes; 1 large (50 g) large egg, cold, lightly beaten; 2 tbsp (30 ml) whole milk, cold; 1 tbsp for the egg wash, the rest only if the dough is too dry; ⅓ cup (120 g) apricot jam, stirred smooth; if chunky, press through a sieve; 2 cups (450 g) whole-milk ricotta, drained for 1 hour in a sieve; 2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 3 tbsp (63 g) honey; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated (from about 1 large lemon); 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1 large (18 g) large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tbsp of the milk for the egg wash; 1 tbsp (8 g) powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, buttery lemon-scented pastry shell is brushed with apricot jam and filled with a lightly sweet honey-ricotta custard, then topped with a lattice. It's creamy, not too sweet, and just right with coffee in the morning.

Prep: 50 min
Cook: 55 min
Wait: 2 hr 10 min
Total: 3 hr 55 min
Makes: 1 crostata, 9-inch (23 cm), cut into 8 slices

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the pastry (pasta frolla)
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting; spoon into the cup and level off
⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine salt
1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated
8 tbsp (115 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes
1 large (50 g) large egg, cold, lightly beaten
2 tbsp (30 ml) whole milk, cold; 1 tbsp for the egg wash, the rest only if the dough is too dry
For the filling
⅓ cup (120 g) apricot jam, stirred smooth; if chunky, press through a sieve
2 cups (450 g) whole-milk ricotta, drained for 1 hour in a sieve
2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
3 tbsp (63 g) honey
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated (from about 1 large lemon)
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
To finish
1 large (18 g) large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tbsp of the milk for the egg wash
1 tbsp (8 g) powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Equipment (9)

9-inch (23 cm) round tart pan with removable bottom, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep
Food processor (or a large bowl and pastry cutter)
Rolling pin
Fine-mesh sieve and a bowl
Parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans (about 2 cups)
Rimmed baking sheet
Pastry brush
Instant-read thermometer
Wire cooling rack

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing: the dough chills for 1 hour and the baked crostata needs about 1 hour to cool and set, so bake it the night before or start early.
Use whole-milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta is wetter and can make the filling weep or turn grainy.
Take the butter and eggs straight from the fridge. The butter must be cold for a tender, short crust.
Zest the lemon before juicing it. Zest is far easier to grate from a whole lemon.
Have a sieve, a bowl and a piece of parchment or a coffee filter ready for draining the ricotta.

1
Make the pastry dough
- In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, salt and the 1 tsp lemon zest 3 times to combine.
- Add the cold butter cubes and pulse 8 to 10 times, until the mixture looks like coarse sand with a few pea-sized bits of butter.
- Add the beaten egg and pulse in short 1-second bursts, about 8 to 10 times, until the dough starts to clump.
- If it stays crumbly when pinched, add 1 tsp cold milk at a time.
- (By hand: rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips or a pastry cutter, then stir in the egg with a fork.) Tip onto the counter and press together gently without kneading.
- Divide into two pieces, about two-thirds and one-third.
- Pat each into a flat disc and wrap in plastic.
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Ready when: Dough holds together when squeezed and has visible flecks of butter; it is not sticky.
Tip: Stop mixing as soon as the dough clumps. Overworking it makes the crust tough.
2
Chill dough, drain ricotta
- Refrigerate both dough discs for 1 hour.
- While they chill, line a fine-mesh sieve with a coffee filter or a double layer of paper towel and set it over a bowl.
- Spoon in the ricotta, cover and let it drain in the fridge for the full hour, until the bowl underneath holds a few tablespoons of liquid.
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Ready when: Ricotta looks thick and spreadable, not wet.
Tip: Skipping the draining step can give a soggy, weeping filling.
3
Roll and line the panOven 375°F / 190°C
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and set a rimmed baking sheet on it.
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Let the larger dough disc stand for 5 minutes if rock hard.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll it into a 12-inch (30 cm) round about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, turning it a quarter turn after each roll.
- Drape it over the rolling pin and ease it into the 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan, pressing it into the corners and up the fluted sides without stretching.
- Trim the overhang flush with the rim.
- Prick the base all over with a fork.
- Freeze the lined pan for 10 minutes.
- Keep the smaller disc in the fridge.
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Ready when: Dough is an even ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, with no thin spots at the corners.
Tip: If the dough cracks while lining, press the cracks together with your fingers. It's very forgiving.
4
Blind bake the shellOven 375°F / 190°C
- Line the frozen shell with a sheet of parchment, pressing it into the corners, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
- Set the pan on the preheated baking sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes.
- Lift out the parchment and weights, then bake 5 minutes more.
- Remove from the oven and leave the oven on.
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Ready when: Edges are pale golden and the base looks dry and set, not shiny or raw.
Tip: If the base puffs when you remove the weights, gently press it down with the back of a spoon.
5
Mix the filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk the drained ricotta with the 2 eggs, honey, ¼ cup (50 g) sugar, 1 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla until completely smooth and slightly glossy, about 1 minute.
- Discard the drained liquid.
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Ready when: No lumps of ricotta remain and the mixture pours slowly like thick batter.
Tip: Don't whisk vigorously for long; too much air makes the filling puff, then crack as it cools.
6
Fill and add lattice
- Spread the jam evenly over the bottom of the warm shell.
- Pour in the ricotta filling and smooth the top; it should come to about ¼ inch (6 mm) below the rim.
- Roll the smaller dough disc on a floured surface to a 10-inch (25 cm) round about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick and cut it into eight ¾-inch (2 cm) strips.
- Lay 4 strips across the filling, spaced evenly, then weave or simply lay 4 more strips across at a right angle.
- Press the strip ends onto the rim and trim off the excess.
- Beat the egg yolk with 1 tbsp milk and brush it over the strips and the rim.
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Ready when: Filling is level and the lattice strips lie flat and are evenly spaced.
Tip: If the strips become too soft to lift, slide the rolled dough onto a baking sheet and chill for 5 minutes before cutting.
7
Bake the crostataOven 375°F / 190°C
- Set the pan on the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35 minutes.
- If the crust browns too quickly after 25 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
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Ready when: Lattice and rim are deep golden, the filling is puffed slightly and set at the edges with a faint jiggle in the center, and the center reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
Tip: Don't overbake. The filling continues to set as it cools, and overbaked ricotta turns dry and cracks.
8
Cool and set
- Move the pan to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes, then remove the outer ring by setting the pan on a can and letting the ring fall away.
- Slide the crostata onto the rack and cool completely, about 45 minutes more, so the filling firms up and slices cleanly.
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Ready when: Crostata is barely warm or at room temperature and the center is firm when the pan is nudged.
Tip: Slicing it hot makes the filling slump. Patience gives you neat wedges.
9
Dust and serve
- Dust the top with powdered sugar if you like.
- Cut into 8 wedges with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled.
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Tip: Dust with sugar just before serving; it dissolves into the surface if left for long.

Good to know

Tips

Weigh the flour and ricotta if you can; they are the two ingredients most likely to vary by volume.
Use a metal or ceramic tart pan on a preheated baking sheet. The heat from the sheet crisps the bottom crust.
Zest the lemons with a microplane and avoid the white pith, which tastes bitter.
Save the leftover egg white for scrambled eggs or an omelet.

Make ahead

"The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept wrapped in the fridge (let it stand 10 to 15 minutes before rolling), or frozen for up to 1 month. The whole crostata can be baked the night before, cooled and refrigerated, covered, until breakfast."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours after baking. Refrigerator: covered, up to 4 days; serve cold or let stand 20 minutes. To rewarm, heat slices at 300°F (150°C) for 8 to 10 minutes. Freezer: not recommended once baked, as the ricotta filling turns watery when thawed."

Substitutions

apricot jam → Orange marmalade or peach jam. Marmalade gives a more bitter, citrusy edge; reduce the filling's lemon juice slightly if you like.
honey → Maple syrup. Same amount; the flavor will be slightly different but the texture is unchanged.
whole-milk ricotta → Well-drained mascarpone-ricotta mix (half and half). Creamier and richer, with a denser texture.
unsalted butter → Salted butter. Use the same weight and omit the salt in the dough.