Recipe Archives->Pies->Pine Nut Tart

Torta di Pinoli
Pine Nut Tart

5 oz (150 grams) unsalted butter, softened
5 oz (150 grams) superfine sugar
4 egg yolks
12 oz (350 grams) plain white or Italian type 00 flour
Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
Pinch of salt

12 oz (350 grams) ricotta cheese
Few drops of vanilla extract
2 fluid oz (50 ml) heavy cream
3 egg yolks
4 oz (100 grams) superfine sugar
4 oz (100 grams) pine kernels
Icing sugar, for dusting

To make the pastry, put the softened butter, sugar and egg yolks
in a food processor and mix together. Add the flour, lemon zest and
salt and mix again. Wrap in greaseproof paper and chill in the
fridge for 1 hour.  Preheat the oven to 325 F (170 C). To make the
filling, using a wooden spoon, beat the ricotta cheese in a bowl.
Add the vanilla extract, heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar and 3/4 of
the pine kernels and mix together. On a lightly floured surface,
roll out the pastry and use 2/3 to line a 8 inch (20 cm) loose-bottomed
flan tin. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Prick the base with
a fork and line with a piece of greaseproof paper and baking beans,
then bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden. Remove the lining
and beans. Pour the filling into the pastry case. Roll out the
remaining pastry and cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) strips, the same
length as the tart. Use to make a lattice decoration on the tart
by laying half the strips at intervals across the surface and the
other half across the first layer. Scatter the remaining pine kernels
over the top. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until the pastry is
crisp and golden and the filling is firm to the touch. Leave to
cool slightly, then serve warm, dusted with sifted icing sugar.

Printable version: pine-nut-tart.txt.