Description
Delicate ricotta tart with roast strawberries celebrates summer’s sweetest bounty, blending creamy Italian cheese with caramelized fruit. Rich flavors and silky textures invite passionate bakers to savor each luscious bite of this elegant dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Tart Base:
- 200 grams (1 1/4 cups) white spelt flour
- 80 grams (1/2 cup) wholemeal spelt flour
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 80 milliliters (1/3 cup) light extra virgin olive oil
- 60 milliliters (1/4 cup) maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ricotta Filling:
- 400 grams fresh ricotta
- 2 eggs
- 80 milliliters (1/3 cup) maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 orange, rind finely grated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Roasted Strawberries:
- 250 grams small strawberries, hulled
- 1 tablespoon marsala
- Greek-style yoghurt (optional)
Instructions
- Grease a 24.5cm fluted tart tin with a removable base, ensuring even coverage.
- Mix white and wholemeal spelt flours with sea salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk light extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract in a separate jug.
- Create a central well in the flour mixture and pour wet ingredients, stirring until just combined.
- Transfer dough to a floured surface, knead gently until smooth, then roll into a 4mm-thick disc.
- Carefully line the tart tin with the dough, trimming excess edges for a neat finish.
- Pierce pastry base thoroughly with a fork, then freeze for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced).
- Cover chilled pastry with baking paper, fill with pastry weights, and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove weights and paper, continue baking 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
- Blend ricotta, maple syrup, eggs, orange rind, and vanilla bean paste in a food processor until silky smooth.
- Spread ricotta mixture evenly across cooled pastry base.
- Bake tart for 25 minutes until filling is just set, then allow to cool completely.
- Hull strawberries and place in a baking dish.
- Drizzle strawberries with marsala and additional maple syrup.
- Roast strawberries in oven for 12-14 minutes until tender, then cool before serving.
Notes
- Chill the pastry dough for optimal texture and prevent shrinkage during baking.
- Use a food processor for a smooth, lump-free ricotta filling that ensures a creamy consistency.
- Swap spelt flour with gluten-free alternatives like almond or rice flour for a celiac-friendly version.
- Try different fruits like raspberries or peaches as a seasonal roasted topping variation.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 299 kcal
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg