Ricotta and chocolate tart

The ricotta and chocolate tart is a delicious dessert that combines the creaminess of ricotta with the indulgent taste of chocolate, a much-loved variant of the more classic jam tart. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:

• 300 g of 00 flour
• 150 g of cold butter
• 120 g of icing sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 yolk
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• A pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 500 g of fresh ricotta
• 100 g of granulated sugar
• 100 g of chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
• 1 egg
• 1 sachet of vanillin or vanilla extract
• Grated zest of 1 orange (optional)

To decorate:

• Icing sugar (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the shortcrust pastry: in a large bowl or on a pastry board, mix the flour with the icing sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the cold butter, cut into small pieces, and begin to work the mixture until it becomes crumbly.

2. Make a well in the center and add the whole egg and the yolk, then the grated lemon zest. Knead quickly until you have a smooth and homogeneous dough. Wrap it in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

3. In the meantime, prepare the filling: in a bowl, mix the ricotta with the sugar, the egg, the vanillin, and if you like, the orange zest. Combine all the ingredients until you have a smooth and uniform cream, then add the chocolate chips and mix gently.

4. Take the ball of shortcrust pastry out of the refrigerator and roll it out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 5 mm. Line a tart pan (about 26 cm in diameter) with the pastry, piercing the bottom with a fork.

5. Pour the ricotta and chocolate filling onto the pastry base, leveling it well with a spatula.

6. If you have leftover pastry, you can create strips to lay on top of the filling, forming a lattice which is classic of tarts, or you can opt for other decorations as you like.

7. Bake the tart in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-35 minutes or until the surface is golden and the pastry is cooked.

8. Allow to cool completely before dusting with icing sugar and serving.

Curiosity

The ricotta and chocolate tart is a dessert that brings together the tradition of Italian pastry, particularly from Central and Southern Italy, with the universal love for chocolate. In the classic version, sometimes sheep’s ricotta is used for a more intense flavor. You can also further personalize this recipe by adding different flavors to the ricotta, such as cinnamon or lemon zest, depending on your tastes.