Crostata with ricotta and saffron - a Tuscan cheesecake
Recently some of you asked me to share the recipe of this Il Rigo's iconic dessert.
Actually, I have at least 3 or 4 versions of this cake, that I propose quiet often and in several occasions.
It is a perfect autumn cake, since I use to decorate it with quince jelly and calendula flowers (that keep blooming until winter, but in winter we have no fresh ricotta!).
The ultimate version of this cake, is actually my interpretation of a classic New York cheesecake, and I'm so happy to have tried it, since it work perfectly well, replacing the cream cheese with fresh ricotta and vanilla with saffron.
Saffron is a very special ingredient, it is part of our tradition, and is produced here in San Quirico.
Therefore the quality is very high and the flavour is something really unique.
However, it isn't a simple ingredient, especially used in sweet recipe (once a tried a very good-looking saffron "panna cotta", but I would like to forget the taste of that...).
Here there are my 3 versions of Tuscan cheesecake.
The last recipe, is definitely my very favourite, but all three are delicious
The origin: mum's crostata with ricotta
Ingredients for a round springform of 24cm diameter
gr 300 all purpose flour
gr 150 butter
gr 100 sugar
2 egg yolks
a pinch of salt
lemon zest
(serves 12):
gr 500 fresh ricotta
3 eggs
raisins soaked in rhum
lemon zest
gr. 30 all pourpose flour
gr 60 sugar
Put into the food processor the flour, the sugar, and the lemon zest. Work for 30 seconds, and add the butter, that must be cold, from the fridge. Work for 15 seconds. Add the egg yolks, and work for 1 minute, to obtain a “crumble”. Place the crumble on a wooden board dusted with flour and knead for a short time until a dough is formed.Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 30 mins.Flatten with the rolling pin and place in a tart pan (with removable bottom), greased with butter and dusted with flour.Cook in a 180° pre-heated oven for about 10 mins.Beat the egg yolks with the sugar, add the ricotta, the raisins drained and squeezed, the lemon zest, the flour, and as LAST ingredient, fold in the beaten whites. Cook in a 170° pre-heated oven for about 25 mins.
Changing the rules: my crostata with ricotta, thyme and quince jelly
I prepared this version for my friend Jul's kitchen, using the spelt flour of Il Rigo and the jelly made with our quinces
Ingredients for a round springform of 24cm diameter (serves 12):
gr 300 whole grain spelt flour
gr 180 butter
gr 100 sugar
2 egg yolks
a pinch of salt
gr 500 fresh ricotta
3 eggs
lemon zest
gr. 30 all purpose flour
gr 100 sugar
fresh thyme leaves
250gr of quince jelly
Follow the same indications for previous cake, just replace raisins with thyme leaves. Before the cake cools down spread the jelly on top. With the heat it will melt.
A Tuscan NY cheesecake with saffron and fresh sheep ricotta
Ingredients for a round springform of 24cm diameter (serves 12)
Digestive cookies 250
Butter 100 g
Fresh sheep ricotta 600 g
Fresh double cream 100 g
Zucchero 75 g
Corn or potatoes starch 20gr
2 eggs and 1 yolk
Lemon zest
a pinch of saffron in pistils
Sour cream 100 g
Calendula flowers to decorate
1 h before starting (or even the night before), add a pinch of saffron pistils to 100gr of warm double cream. The pistils cannot be used directly! They release their characteristic colour and flavour after being soaked in a liquid, in this case the cream.
Prepare the crust. Crush finely the digestive in a food processor. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stovetop and mix this into the crumbs. The mixture should look like wet sand and hold together in a clump when you press it in your fist. Transfer it into the springform pan and use a spoon to press it evenly into the bottom. Leave the pan in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
In a bowl mix the ricotta, sugar, starch, lemon zest and eggs with a whisk. Beat until the mixture is cream and no lumps of ricotta remain. Than add the saffron flavoured cream and incorporate with a spatula (the pistils get stuck in the whisk, so it's better to change tool!)
Pour the batter over the cooled crust and spread it into an even layer against the sides of the pan
