Easter Sweet Ricotta Pie (Printable)

Creamy ricotta filling with fresh lemon zest nestled in tender pastry, ideal for springtime treats.

# What you'll need:

→ Pastry

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

→ Ricotta Filling

09 - 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese, well drained
10 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
11 - 3 large eggs
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Zest of 2 lemons
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
15 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
16 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 cup heavy cream

→ Finishing

18 - Powdered sugar for dusting

# Method:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and rub between fingertips until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
02 - Mix in the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time, stirring gently until dough just comes together without overmixing.
03 - Shape dough into a flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch pie or tart pan with butter or cooking spray.
05 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough to approximately 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer to prepared pan, gently press into bottom and sides, trim excess overhang, and prick base with a fork. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
06 - In a large bowl, whisk together drained ricotta, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, salt, and heavy cream until smooth and well combined.
07 - Pour ricotta mixture into prepared pastry shell and smooth the top with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set with a slight wobble in the center and the top is lightly golden brown.
09 - Remove from oven and allow pie to cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature.
10 - Transfer cooled pie to refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours before slicing.
11 - Just before serving, dust top generously with powdered sugar.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The filling is impossibly creamy yet light, with lemon singing through every bite without ever turning bitter or sharp.
  • It's elegant enough to impress at a holiday table but forgiving enough that small imperfections in the crust actually add charm.
  • Once you taste how a good pastry shell combined with silky ricotta feels on your tongue, you'll understand why this has survived centuries of Italian family tables.
02 -
  • Draining your ricotta thoroughly is not optional; wet ricotta will make your filling crack and separate, and I learned this the expensive way by losing an entire pie to this mistake.
  • Don't skip the chilling step for the dough or the cooling step for the finished pie; these aren't just tradition, they're the structure that makes everything work.
03 -
  • A food processor makes the pastry faster, but watch carefully and pulse just until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs; overprocessing creates tough dough.
  • If your lemon filling cracks slightly on top while baking, don't panic—a dusting of powdered sugar covers any imperfections and makes them look intentional.
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