Crostata di Limone
This Italian lemon classic is made with sfusato lemons from the Amalfi Coast. Start with a buttery pastry crust made with flour, eggs and sugar, followed by a light lemon filling dusted with Confectioners' sugar.
- 500 grams Flour
- 250 grams Butter (at room temperature)
- 250 grams Sugar
- 4 Egg Yolks
- 1 Lemon Zest
- 500 grams Ricotta Cheese
- 5 Eggs
- 250 grams Sugar
- 80 grams Flour
- Lemon Zest
- Short Crust Pastry
Prepare the pastry dough by mixing flour, butter, sugar, egg yolks and lemon zest together by hand. Mix until just combined and be careful not to overwork. Form into a ball and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
- Ricotta Cream
Next, prepare the ricotta cream. In a bowl, mix egg yolks with 200 grams of the sugar. Slowly add in the ricotta cheese, the flour, the lemon zest and blend. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with the rest of the sugar until they form stiff peaks.
Roll out the dough into disks large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the baking pan. Add the ricotta cream to the bottom on the crust and spread evenly. Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C) for 25 to 30 minutes until golden. Allow to cool completely.
- Variation
Fruit such as apples, pears, peaches, or cherries can be baked with the crust. Fill the bottom of the shell with pastry cream, then the fruit (sautéed with a little sugar), then cover with another layer of dough and bake in a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C) for 20 to 25 minutes until golden.