Nona'sRicottaPie
PastaFrolla:
3cups(36grams)qualityall-purposeflour
½cup(60grams)powderedsugar
½teaspoonbakingpowder
1teaspoonlemonzest
½teaspoonsalt
1cup(226grams)unsaltedbutter
2largeeggs
Nona'sRicottaPie
Filling
32ounces(905grams)whole-milkricotta,hand beatenandFRESHCone
¾cup(150grams)granulatedsugar
4largeeggs
1teaspoonlemonjuice
1teaspoonlemonzest
⅛teaspoonalmondextract
Eggwash,forassembling
This pie requires a 9" deep-dish pie plate.
Use metal deep-dish pie plate for conduction of heat to ensure a crisp crust for this pie.
The filling for this pie can also be made with an electric mixer if you don't want to do it by hand.
Quality Handed Beaten Fresh Whole Milk Ricotta is key, if you think its two wet then place the ricotta in the cheesecloth and smooth the ricotta over to get a flat surface.
Transfer the ricotta to the refrigerator to strain for about 8 hours or overnight. Discard any liquid left at the bottom of the bowl. Then the ricotta is ready to use.
My Italian Nona (grandmother) whipped her ricotta like it was heavy cream before she made this recipe. This results in a smoother final texture of the pie. Otherwise just whisk ricotta briefly then add ingredients
If you’d like a smoother final texture, whip the ricotta until it has reached a consistency of thickened heavy cream before moving on to adding in the additional ingredients using an electric mixer
Preheat the oven to 375ºF
Add the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until well combined.
Add in the butter and pulse 5-7 times, or until the butter is broken down into tiny pebbles.
With the motor running, add in the eggs and let the dough process until it forms together into a cohesive ball around the blade, about 1 minute.
Transfer the dough to a work surface dusted with flour. Divide the dough in half.
Roll out half of the dough to a rough 11″ circle and place inside of a 9″ deep-dish pie plate, tucking the ends of the pastry underneath themselves to form an edge.
Pierce the bottom of the pastry multiple times with a fork to allow the steam to escape when baking. Place the pastry in the freezer to chill while the oven preheats, or at least 10 minutes.
Roll out the other half of the dough to a rough 10-inch circle. Place the pie dough on a flat surface (such as a sheet pan) that can fit in your refrigerator. Cover, and transfer to the refrigerator to chill.
Remove the bottom crust from the freezer and line the pastry with a round piece of parchment paper and then add pie weights to fill (or dry rice or beans or lentils), making sure to push pie weights up against the edges.
Bake for 20 minutes on the lower rack, then remove from the oven and remove the parchment and pie weights. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling: Add the (strained) ricotta to a large bowl. Whip it with a whisk for 30 seconds until lightened. Add the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and almond extract and whisk together until well combined.
Transfer the filling to the slightly cooled pie shell.
Whisk together an egg with a bit of water to make an egg wash. Remove the rolled-out top crust from the refrigerator.
Score the top crust with the fork in a lattice pattern by evenly pressing and dragging the fork on the pastry. You want to get a good score on it, but make sure not to cut through the pastry.
Brush the egg wash on the top crust as well as on the edges of the baked bottom pie crust (this will help the top crust seal to the edges).
Transfer the top crust pastry on top of the ricotta filling. Seal the top crust into the edges and cut off any excess dough.
Bake the pie on a rimmed baking sheet in the middle part of the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden and shiny and the filling has just nearly puffed up throughout, leaving just a small portion in the middle that has not risen.
Let cool for at last 2 hours. Serve at room temperature or cold.
maritozzi
notes
Flour: Use a good bread flour or high gluten flour for the buns to get a chewy texture.
Milk: Use whole milk for this recipe for the best texture and flavor.
Sugar: Just white granulated sugar for the dough and then some icing sugar (powdered sugar) for dusting the tops.
Yeast: Instant yeast or instant dry yeast.
Milk powder: Milk powder adds to both the flavor and texture.
Oil: Use olive oil.
Eggs: A couple of eggs go into the dough to enrich it. A third one, the yolk only, is used in the egg wash for the top.
Honey: Honey not only adds to the sweetness but also to the texture and puffiness of the buns, plus helps with that golden brown color.
Vanilla: Use vanilla bean paste for dough and whipped cream
Orange zest: Orange zest adds another little flavor profile
After cutting buns spoon in a bit of Italian cherries or jam then your whipped cream.
Do a 50/50 of pastry cream and whipped cream for half the buns then the other half straight whipped cream for 2 variations
FOR THE STARTER
▢ 1 cup water
▢ 2/3 cup bread flour (86g / 13 oz)
FOR THE DOUGH
▢ 10 oz whole milk, luke-warm (320ml)
▢ 1/2 cup white granulated sugar (100g / 3.6oz)
▢ 5 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
▢ 7.5 cups bread flour (980g / 34.6oz)
▢ ½ cup milk powder (50g / 2oz)
▢ ½ cup olive oil (120ml)
▢ ½ cup honey (120 ml)
▢ 2 teaspoon vanilla PASTE
▢ 2 teaspoon fine orange zest
▢ 4 large eggs
▢ 1 teaspoon salt
EGGWASH
▢ 2 egg yolk mixed with 2 teaspoon of milk
VANILLA WHIPPED CREAM
▢ 2.5 cups heavy whipping cream (375ml)
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
▢ 2 tablespoons caster sugar (superfine sugar)
▢ 1. cup Vanilla Pastry Cream
TOPPING
▢ Icing sugar (powdered sugar) for dusting
Ingredients
For the maritozzi recipe, you’ll begin the dough by making a starter which is a cooked roux of flour and water
notes
(Called tangzhong).
It’s a technique that gelatinizes the starches in flour allowing it to absorb more moisture, hence the final baked product will have more moisture making it softer and stay softer for longer.
The tangzhong takes just a minute and is well worth it.
Where many homemade breads can be starting to stale before days end, these stay softer for up to 2 days.
It’s a very easy dough to make and there is the standard rising times required for the first proof and then for proofing the individual buns.
You can make them the day before serving and know they’ll still be good the next day.
Make the tangzhong starter: In a small saucepan, whisk together the flour and water.
Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly for a minute or two until it turns into a thick paste.
Set that aside.
Activate the yeast: In the bowl of a stand-mixer (best) combine the milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar.
Give it a mix then let it sit for 5 minutes until you see it getting puffy. While instant yeast doesn’t technically need activating, active dry yeast does.
By using this method, no matter what yeast you’re using, you know the yeast is alive and ready to use.
Combine dough: Now add all the other dough ingredients, finishing by adding the tangzhong starter.
Start the mixer on the lowest setting just until the ingredients are combined, then turn it up to level 2 for 8 minutes.
technique
Cover the dough in a large bowl with plastic wrap ad let it rise until about doubled in size.
Roll 12 small balls of dough by turning it in you palm as you continually pinch the sides in toward the bottom, until the tops are smooth.
lace the balls of dough on a baking sheet and let them rise again. Brush them with egg wash, then bake.
Make the cream filling
Cream filling for these maritozzi buns is essentially a Chantilly cream – a combination of cream, sugar and vanilla.
Just combine the cream, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl then beat with an electric mixer to stiff peaks.
Be very careful not to overwhip the cream or it will become grainy.
Take 50% of the whipped cream and fold in vanilla or chocolate pastry cream for the 2nd variety
technique
technique
Once cool, cut the maritozzi straight down the middle about ⅔ of the way through so you have a hinge at the bottom like a hotdog bun.
Spoon the cream into the opening, generously.
Use a flat edge like a bench scraper or spatula to scrape over the top for nice flat topping.
Italian cookies
Classical was to make KNOTS
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup olive oil blend
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 4 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 4 cups flour
• Frosting
• 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp. Milk
• 1 tsp real vanilla
• 2.5 cup confectioners’ sugar
• Cream as needed
• Colored sprinkles and or colored sugar
Set oven to 350F
Roll dough into 1" balls or roll to a 2 inches long and knot and place about 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheets.
Beat together the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, and lemon extract.
Mix in the baking powder, salt, and flour until well combined.
Bake 9 - 11 minutes (cookies should not brown).
Add about a tablespoon of cream at a time until you get a drizzling consistency.
Place on wire rack to cool. Then frost and decorate as described below.
To make the frosting, whisk together the butter and vanilla and then whisk in enough confectioners’ sugar to make a frosting.
Dip cookies in frosting or use a squeeze bottle and place over each cookie to just coat and immediately sprinkle with colored sugar or sprinkles.
Leave until frosting sets.
350 g soft wheat flour
6 eggs, separated
10 g vanilla sugar
100 g butter
200 g sugar
50 g powdered sugar
12 g baking powder
400 g cherries, pitted
Bublanina Cake
Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks, and preheat the oven to 160˚C.
In a large bowl, mix butter and vanilla sugar until light and fluffy. One by one, add the egg yolks.
In a separate bowl, prepare the egg white snow by mixing egg whites and powdered sugar at high speed.
Gently fold in the egg white snow into the butter, sugar, and egg yolks mixture. Then, stir in the flour and the baking powder until combined.
Grease the baking tray and dust it with flour. Pour the batter in and arrange the cherries on top.
Bake Bublanina for 40 minutes at 160˚C. Let it cool slightly, sprinkle with powdered sugar, cut, and serve.
Flour
Soft wheat flour is most commonly used for Bublanina, although it may be replaced with all-purpose flour. As is the case with many other sponge cake recipes, it is advisable to sift the flour before mixing it with other ingredients, to help Bublanina become light and spongy.
Eggs
There are two ways to incorporate eggs into the Bublanina batter. One, the eggs may be used whole and simply mixed with other ingredients. Two, the eggs may be separated into egg yolks and egg whites. The latter are whipped with sugar into a firm snow and gently folded into the mixture to give it an airier texture.
Sugar
The Bublanina batter is made with regular white granulated sugar, which can also be used to additionally sweeten the fruit before it is added to the batter. Powdered sugar, on the other hand, is to be used for dusting the Bublanina after it has been baked
Fat
The juiciness of Bublanina is achieved by using either butter or vegetable oil. If you use butter, make sure it has softened before you add it to the batter.
Fruit
When it comes to fruit, the general rule is use fresh. If you use cherries or sour cherries, remove the pit, while plums and apricots should be cut into smaller pieces. A great trick to prevent the fruit from falling to the bottom of the cake is to mix it with some flour or semolina before you add them to the batter.
Baking
Bublanina is baked in a rectangular or a round baking pan, which should be greased with butter or oil and dusted with flour before pouring in the batter. Sometimes, the flour is replaced with breadcrumbs. The cake is baked in an oven preheated to 160 to 180˚C for 40 to 50 minutes until the top gets a light golden hue.
BUTTERSCOTCH BUDINO
If made right this is as good as it gets. Follow exactly no shortcuts and quality ingredients.
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 1⁄2 tsp. Kosher salt
3 cups heavy cream
1 1⁄2 cups milk
1 large egg
3 large egg yolks
5 tbsp. cornstarch
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1⁄2 tbsp. dark rum
FLUER DE SEL OR ANOTHER FLAKY SEA SALT, FOR SERVING
For the caramel sauce and whipped crème fraîche
3⁄4 cup heavy cream
1⁄4 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) unsalted butter
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. corn syrup
3⁄4 cup crème fraîche
Instructions
Prepare the Budino: Combine the heavy cream and milk and set the mixture next to the stove. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, stir the brown sugar, ½-cup water, and the salt to combine.
Cook until the sugar is melted, dark brown, and smells caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes. Immediately whisk in the cream and milk mixture (the mixture will steam and the butterscotch will seize, but will become smooth again as you continue whisking). Bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower the heat to medium.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Add 1 cup of the prepared butterscotch, whisking constantly.
Whisk in the remaining butterscotch, then boil, whisking constantly, until the custard is very thick, about 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and rum. Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps, and divide among ten 6ounce ramekins or serving bowls.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, several hours or up to 3 days.
Make the caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the cream and vanilla seeds and bring to a simmer.
Add the butter, turn off the heat, and set aside.
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water.
Cook over medium-high heat, swirling the pan just slightly to gauge the caramelization, until the sugar becomes a medium amber color, about 10 minutes.
Remove the caramel from heat and carefully whisk the vanilla cream into the caramel (stand back as the mixture will steam and bubble vigorously); continue whisking until completely combined. Let cool significantly (mixture should be just warm for serving).
Meanwhile, make the whipped crème: In a chilled metal bowl using a whisk or an electric mixer, whip the crème fraiche on high speed just until thickened (15–30 seconds).
Top Each Budino With 1 Tablespoon Of The Warm Caramel Sauce, A Dollop Of The Whipped Crème Fraîche, And A Pinch Of Fleur De Sel.
CassataCake
Ingredients
Butter, for greasing pan
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. flour, sifted, plus more for pan
2⁄3 cup plus 3⁄4 cup sugar
1 tsp. orange zest
6 eggs
Marzipan
1 cup shelled pistachios
1 cups confectioners' sugar
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Or use made marzipan and knead in fine ground pistachios and paste for a nice green color
2 tbsp. Grand Marnier liqueur
1.5 lb. FRESH ricotta, drained overnight in a cheesecloth-lined strainer, or ricottaimpastata
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups confectioners' sugar
½ cup minced candied fruits
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9″ cake pan; set aside. Combine 2⁄3 cup sugar, zest, and eggs in a large bowl and beat on high speed of a mixer until pale and light, about 5 minutes. Add flour and fold to combine.
Pour into cake pan and smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, let cake cool completely, and remove cake from pan.
Option 1- Using a serrated knife, cut cake crosswise into 1⁄2″thick strips; set aside. Line bottom and sides of a 12″ metal pie plate with plastic wrap; set aside.
Option 2- Round Cake Slice cake into thirds
Process pistachios in a food processor until finely chopped. Add 1 cup confectioners' sugar and process until finely ground. With processor running, slowly add enough egg white to form a smooth dough.
Transfer dough to a work surface dusted with confectioners' sugar and knead until smooth. Using a rolling pin, roll marzipan until 1⁄4″ thick. Cut into 2″-wide strips and line side of cake pan or deep pie plate with strips, flattening where they overlap to form one continuous ring; set aside.
Heat ¼ cup sugar and 1⁄4 cup water in a saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Cook until sugar dissolves, then stir in Grand Marnier; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together remaining sugar, ricotta, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth, 2–3 minutes; set aside.
To assemble
Line bottom of prepared pie plate with cake strips, cutting to fit, and then sprinkle with 5 tbsp. Grand Marnier syrup; place ricotta mixture on top of cake and spread evenly to fill pie plate, smoothing top.
Cover top of ricotta mixture with remaining cake slices, cutting to fit evenly, and drizzle with remaining syrup; trim excess pistachio marzipan and then wrap pie plate in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, 2 hours.
Cover cake in a think light green marzipan layer
Decorate with candied fruits. Refrigerate cake until set, 2 hours or overnight.
Italian Chocolate Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons high quality unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick butter, melted
2T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
ICING
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons high quality unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, 3 tablespoons cocoa, the cinnamon, ground cloves, baking powder, and baking soda; mix well. In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla until blended.
Gradually add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating until thoroughly combined. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Let cool 3 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
In a small bowl, whisk Icing ingredients until smooth. Dip cookies into icing and let set until icing harden
DOUGH
5 tsp. superfine sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 cups 00 flour, plus more for surface
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. chilled vegetable shortening or highquality lard
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. (or more) dry or sweet Marsala or white wine
FILLING
2lb. FRESH cow’s-milk ricotta
7 oz superfine sugar
Optional
1.5 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped, or mini chocolate chips
ASSEMBLY
Vegetable oil (for frying; about 8 cups)
All-purpose flour (for surface)
GARNISH
Candied orange peel, finely chopped raw pistachios, and/or finely chopped chocolate (for serving)
Powdered sugar (for dusting)
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
A deep-fry thermometer; a 4"-diameter cookie cutter; 8 cannoli tubes
Preparation DOUGH
Step 1
Whisk sugar, cinnamon, salt, and 2 cups 00 flour in a large bowl to combine.
Add shortening and work into dry ingredients with your fingers until mixture is crumbly and no pieces of shortening are larger than a lentil.
Separate white from 1 egg and place into a small bowl; set aside. Place yolk in another small bowl and add whole egg; lightly beat to combine.
Step 2
Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in egg yolk mixture.
Using a fork, gradually work in dry ingredients, mixing in a circular motion to nudge dry ingredients into well, until a thick paste forms (you will not have mixed in all the dry ingredients).
Add vinegar and wine to paste in well and continue mixing in dry ingredients until fully incorporated and dough becomes hard to mix (if dough gets too hard to mix, knead in bowl with your hands to work it in).
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is very supple, about 3 minutes. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.
Step 3
Do Ahead: Dough can be made 12 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
FILLING
Step 4
Press ricotta and goat cheese through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl by scraping firmly with a rubber spatula.
Mix in sugar and chocolate until just combined (you want the mixture to stay aerated and fluffy). Taste filling and add a two-finger pinch of salt if you think it needs it.
Step 5
Cover bowl and chill filling at least 1 hour to give sugar time to dissolve.
Step 6
Do Ahead: Filling can be made 12 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
ASSEMBLY
Step 7
Pour oil into a medium saucepan fitted with thermometer to come 2" up the sides.
Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 375°.
Step 8
Meanwhile, divide dough in half; rewrap one half and chill until ready to use.
Roll out remaining half on a lightly floured surface to an 11" round about 1/16" thick. (You want it thinner than pie dough but not as thin as phyllo—too thick and it’ll become challenging to chew; too thin and the dough won’t develop its characteristic bubbled surface.)
Punch out rounds with cutter (you should have 5). Reroll scraps to yield 1 more- round.
Step 9
Lightly beat reserved egg white to loosen. Working one at a time and covering remaining rounds with plastic wrap, roll out 4 rounds to about 5x3½" ovals; prick each one in several places with a fork.
Using your fingers, lightly wipe some egg white over the edge of one long side.
Wrap ovals loosely around cannoli tubes, overlapping long side with egg wash over the other long side; gently press seam to flatten and adhere. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet as you go.
Step 10
Line another rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.
Fry shells with tubes, gently encouraging them to move around in the oil to color evenly, until deep golden brown, 4–5 minutes.
Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Let cool slightly, then slip shells off tubes. Let tubes and shells cool completely. Repeat process 2 more times, frying 4 at a time, to yield 12 cannoli shells total.
Step 11
Fill Cannoli by hand with spoon or spatula
Step 12
Garnish lightly exposed filling on each end with Mostarda di Frutta
Candied Orange peel
Pistachios
Chocolate.
Generously dust cannoli with powdered sugar.
