Italian Ricotta Pie (Ricotta Torta)

Name: Italian Ricotta Pie (Ricotta Torta)
Yield: Serves 8 to 10 (Makes one 9 1/2-inch pie)
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds, strawberries (about 1 1/2 quarts), washed, dried, stemmed, and quartered; 6 tablespoons, granulated sugar; 3 pounds, ricotta cheese (see note); 1 large slice, white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces; 1 tablespoon, unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup (7 ounces), sugar; 2 teaspoons, vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon, zest from 1 lemon; 1/8 teaspoon, table salt; 2 tablespoons, all-purpose flour; 3 large, eggs; 2 large, egg yolks; 1 1/2 gallons, whole milk; 1 teaspoon, table salt; 1/2 - 3/4 cup, juice from 6 to 7 lemons

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Appears in Cook's Illustrated September/October 2009

A simple ingredient list belies the complexity of this classic Italian dessert.

SERVES8 to 10 (Makes one 9 1/2-inch pie)

TIME2 hours, plus 2½ hours cooling (if making ricotta, additional 30 minutes, plus 20 minutes cooling)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

For a ricotta pie recipe with light texture, mild sweetness, tender curds, and a golden crust, we found that simple-to-make homemade cheese worked best. Cooking the pie in a water bath, first at a high temperature to brown the crust and the...

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