ITALIAN RICOTTA PIE

ITALIAN RICOTTA PIE image

Yield 8 people

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

Topping
1 1/2pounds strawberries (about 1 1/2 quarts), washed, dried, stemmed, and quartered
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pie
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

Steps:

Crush 1/3 of strawberries into coarse pulp in medium bowl. Add remaining quartered berries and sugar; stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Line 12 by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels (or double layer of kitchen towels). Spread ricotta on towels in rough even layer about 1-inch thick. Cover ricotta with 2nd triple layer of paper towels (or dbl layer of kitchen towels); place second rimmed baking sheet on top and weight down. Allow ricotta to dry at least 30 min and up to 2 hrs. Once dry, peel back top layer of towels. Grasp bottom towels and fold ricotta in half; peel back towels. Repeat and flip ricotta onto baking sheet; discard towel. Process bread in food processor until finely ground, about 10 sec. Coat bottom and sides of 9 to 9 1/2-inch springform pan evenly with butter; evenly coat bottom and sides with bread crumbs, shaking out excess. Set springform pan on 18-inch-square dbl layer heavy-duty foil and wrap bottom and sides with foil; set in roasting pan. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat to 500 degrees. Place ricotta, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, salt, flour, eggs, and yolks in bowl of mixer and mix on medium speed until combined, scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Increase to high and mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape into prepared pan. Place 1 quart of ice in roasting pan. Pour cold water to come 1-inch from top of springform pan. Bake until top of pie is pale golden brown with a few darker spots, 25 to 35). Lower heat to 325 degrees, rotate roasting pan and bake until center of pie is slightly wobbly when pan is shaken, and center of pie registers 170 degrees on thermometer, 30 to 45 minutes longer. Transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes; run paring knife around side of springform pan. Cool to room temp, 2 1/2 to 3 hours; remove ring. Cut into wedges and serve with strawberry topping.