Italian Easter Torte with VinoCotto soaked Sultanas
Italian Easter Torte with VinoCotto soaked Sultanas
Indulge in this decadent ricotta Italian Easter torte flavoured with candid orange peels, dark chocolate and Vino Cotto soaked sultanas and encased in a delicious and crumbly sweet pastry. A wonderful way to end an Easter meal accompanied with a glass of Vin Santo or your favourite Port.
Made traditionally in Naples for the Holy Easter celebrations with grano-cotto, cooked wheat (unfortunately unavailable in stores nearby).
Ingredients
2 egg yolks
1 egg
30 gm caster sugar
2 tbsp milk
250 gm plain flour
150 gm butter, diced and chilled
Ricotta filling
50 gm sultanas
2 tbsp Vino Cotto
500 gm fresh firm ricotta, drained overnight
80 gm caster sugar
70 ml cream
3 egg yolks
1 egg
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
60 gm candied orange peel, finely cut
70 gm dark chocolate 70%, coarsely chopped
To serve: Candid orange slices (optional)
Method
Add sultanas and Vino Cotto into a small bowl and occasionally stir.
Crumbly Pastry:
Whisk yolks, egg, sugar and milk in a bowl.
Pulse flour and butter in a food processor and pulse until mixture comes together.
Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead gently until smooth. Roll into a flat disc shape and cover with plastic wrap. Refridgerate for 1 hour.
For ricotta filling:
Whisk ricotta and sugar in a mixer until smooth.
Whisk in cream, egg yolks, egg, vanilla and lemon rind until smooth and thick. Place bowl in refrigeration until ready to be used in pastry case.
Lightly flour the work surface and roll out pastry to 2mm thick and press into a greased 30cm tart pan. Trim the edges and keep any left over pastry to make lattice.
Preheat oven to 150C degree.
Blind bake the tart with baking paper and weights until golden approx 10-12minutes.
Remove baking paper and weights and bake until crisp approx 8 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow for case to cool down slightly.
Reduce oven to 130C degree.
Fill the case with half of the ricotta mixture, scatter the chocolate, orange peels and sultanas. Spoon over remaining ricotta mixture.
Bake until lightly golden and centre springs back when pressed approx. 50 minutes.
Cool tart then decorate with icing sugar and candid oranges slices (optional).
Keep tart refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Buy the Vino Cotto you need for this recipe online. Click here.