Pumpkin and ricotta crostata
- 1 disk Pasta Frolla
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- Unsalted butter, softened, for pie plate
- 1 cup ricotta cheese, drained for 30 minutes in a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a bowl
- 1/ 2 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 1 /4 teaspoon coarse salt
- Heaping 1 /4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/ 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bring the pasta frolla to room temperature. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/ 4 inch thick. Transfer to a lightly buttered 10-inch pie plate. Use your fingertips to press the dough against the bottom and sides of the dish until even. Trim the edges; refrigerate the scraps in plastic wrap until step 4.
- Prick the bottom of the pastry shell all over with a fork. Bake until set and pale golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. With a small knife, trim the edge of the shell where uneven to leave a 1/ 4 inch space between the shell and the top of the dish.
- Raise the oven temperature to 375 F. Process the ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Add the mascarpone, pumpkin, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla; process until well combined, about 30 seconds. Add the yolks; process until combined, about 10 seconds. Pour into the pastry shell.
- Tear the reserved chilled dough scraps into 1inch pieces. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll pieces with your hands to make 1/ 4 inch-thick ropes.
- Gently press 1 long rope around the top edge of the shell (patch 2 ropes together, if necessary). Gently place other pastry ropes on top of the filling to create a lattice pattern (ropes of all lengths can be used). Place 3 pine nuts in each square of lattice. Brush the latticework with egg white.
- Bake the crostata until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set, about 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.