Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
Ricotta and Cherry Jam Tart
At Armando al Pantheon, a trattoria in Rome, we ended our meal with a slice of torta antica roma—a rustic tart inspired by the traditional Roman combination of ricotta and cherries. We were impressed by the lightness of the dessert and the extraordinary pairing of milky-sweet ricotta and tangy, brightly hued fruit preserves. The base was a tender, buttery, almost cakey crust, and the topping was a crumby mixture of the same composition. Sandwiched between was a layer of jam on a bed of ricotta dotted with poppy and sesame seeds. For our adaptation, we devised a dough that gets flavor and texture from almonds that are ground in the food processor, plus a small measure of semolina (or cornmeal). Lemon zest brings brightness and baking powder adds a little lift and lightness. Sour cherry jam, with its balance of sweet and sour, is best in this tart; some brands might specify Morello cherries, a variety of the fruit, on the label. If sour cherry jam is not available, good-quality strawberry jam is a better option than sweet cherry jam. Covered tightly, leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Makes one
9-inch tart
Don’t use part-skim ricotta, as it lacks richness and has a grainy texture. Also, after making the crust mixture and transferring half to the pan, be sure to refrigerate the remainder, which will become the crumb topping. If it’s kept at room temperature, it won’t hold its shape during baking and will melt into the filling. Lastly, don’t spread the ricotta and jam layers all the way to the edges or the filling will caramelize against and stick to the pan, making it tricky to remove the tart for serving.
2 hours
50 minutes active, plus cooling
For the crust and topping:
-
1
large egg
Directions
-
01Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Mist a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
Pardon the interruption
You need to be a Milk Street Digital Member to see the full recipe
JOIN MILK STREET DIGITAL & PRINT
12 WEEKS FOR JUST $1
and get access to all of our recipes and articles online, as well as in print.
GET DIGITAL & PRINT