There are many Italian ricotta cheesecake recipes in Italy (Crostata alla Ricotta). Unlike American cheesecake recipes, Italian cheesecakes do not contain formaggio spalmabile (cream cheese). Rather they are made with fresh ricotta cheese (full fat), eggs and egg yolks and might include ingredients like shaved chocolate, citrus zest, candied fruits (orange and citron), amarena cherries or cinnamon. Love Italian desserts and pasta?
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The Origins of Italian Ricotta Cheesecake
Cheesecakes in one form or another date back to the ancient Rome. Romans prepared something called ‘placenta’ cakes and created cheese cakes with cheese, honey, fruits and spices. In Renaissance times, the Italian ricotta cheesecake tradition became codified and we find reference to it in
Bartolomeo Scappi‘s Opera dell’arte del cucinare cookbook.
Making the Best Italian Ricotta Cheesecake: Tips
Italian Ricotta cheesecakes don’t have the same consistency as American cheesecakes, but they are delicious all the same! Here are some tips to make your Italian cheesecake extra delicious!
Use a Sieve for the Ricotta
Most Italian recipes are in agreement that it’s important to push the fresh ricotta through a sieve rather than use a blender or immersion blender.
Candied Fruits: Optional but Delicious!
Candied fruits (in particular citron and orange) are a signature ingredient in many Italian desserts—including Panforte Margherita and Sicilian Cannoli recipes. Using them in a cheesecake might seem unusual to Americans, but we assure you they are delicious and aren’t too sweet.
Italian Cheesecake Crust
Italian ricotta cheesecake recipes always feature an Italian shortcrust pastry dough with eggs. Italians don’t use cookie crumb crusts for this kind of dessert. The American-style pie dough without egg is also not common for this recipe.
With or Without a Top?
Italian Ricotta Cheesecake recipes vary in how the top of the cheesecake is done. In Lazio, it’s common to top the cheesecake with a lattice decoration made of the tart crust. In Sicily, we’ve seen many recipes that cover the filling entirely with another layer of dough. If you do the latter, we recommend adding ventilation cuts as we do in this recipe—it helps the filling to dry out yet maintain an even height throughout. You can even avoid tops all together—in which case your cheesecake will like be ready around 40 minutes rather than the 45-50 we give this recipe.
Tart, Pie or Cake Pan?
Any of the above will do. The pie pan with slanted sides is less commonly used in Italy for this recipe. Tart pans and even cake pans with straight sides are all common shapes.
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Italian Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe
Equipment
- 8" tart or cake pan
- 1 fine sieve/ strainer for sieving the ricotta cheese
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 large mixing bowl for preparing the dough, then the filling
Ingredients
Ricotta Cheesecake Filling
- 18 oz fresh ricotta cheese full fat
- 1 ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 orange zest
- 1.75 oz dark chocolate shaved
- 1 tsp vanilla or rum extract
- 1.75 oz candied orange and /or citron
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- powdered sugar optional; a thin sprinkle on top for decoration
Tart/Pie Dough—Makes 8" Double Crust Pie
- 2 ½ cups white flour pastry
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 11 tbsp butter cold, chopped into small pieces
- 1 whole egg large
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 pinch fine salt
- ½ lemon zest optional
Instructions
Make the Pastry Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the salt. Add the cold butter (cut into small pieces). Use your fingertips to mix the butter into the flour until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.2 ½ cups white flour, 11 tbsp butter, 1 pinch fine salt
- Add the sugar and continue to mix the butter into the dry ingredients until you've achieved a shaggy dough. Add the beaten egg/egg yolk and continue mixing with your hands until the mix forms a loose ball.½ cup granulated white sugar, 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk, ½ lemon zest
- Transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Use a pastry cutter or the heel of your hand to press and smear small pieces of dough against a work surface. This method blends the butter and flour together gently, ensuring a uniform, flaky texture without overworking the dough. This is called fraisage in French and is commonly used in making pâte brisée or pâte sablée, where achieving a tender, crumbly texture is key.
- Press the worked dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it for about an hour.
Stretch the Pastry Dough
- Divide the dough in two pieces and keep the piece you aren't working on wrapped in plastic.
- Stretch one piece of dough with a floured rolling pin until it is 3-4mm thick. Cover the bottom and sides of your tart or cake pan of choice with this dough. Chill while you work on the filling.
Make the Ricotta Cheesecake Filling
- Pass the fresh ricotta through a sieve into a large mixing bowl. Fold in the sugar, citrus zest, extract and beaten eggs until well combined.18 oz fresh ricotta cheese, 1 ¼ cup granulated white sugar, 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk, 1 lemon zest, 1 orange zest, 1 tsp vanilla or rum extract, ¼ tsp cinnamon
- Fold in the shaved chocolate and candied fruit as well1.75 oz dark chocolate, 1.75 oz candied orange and /or citron
Assemble the Italian Ricotta Cheesecake
- Pour the filling into the tart or cake pan and spread evenly.
- Optionally, you can stretch the second piece of dough to a round that is 3-4mm in thickness as well. Cut this dough into strips and cover the filling with the strips of dough in a lattice form. Or, leave the round uncut, adding ventilation cuts in the dough before laying it on top of the filling. Fold the sides of the dough down and over the edges of the top piece of stretched dough to seal and form a crust. Brush a thin layer of egg wash over any visible pie dough and the crust.
Bake the Cheesecake
- Bake the ricotta cheesecake in the center of a preheated 350°F (180°C) static oven for 40-50 minutes. If not using a double crust, the cheesecake will be ready in about 40 minutes. If you are making a double crust cheesecake, you may need the entire 50 minutes. A double crust cheesecake is finished baking when it is golden brown and dry on top and an inserted cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly dry and clean. Please see below for more tips on determining if your cheesecake is done!
- Chill the baked cheesecake at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) until cool and firm before cutting and serving it. Top with powdered sugar!
