This fresh cherry and ricotta dessert tart gets a double dose of vanilla from both vanilla extract and vanilla bean. If you have leftovers, enjoy a slice with an espresso as a sweet breakfast treat or mid-morning snack.
Serves 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- For the pastry crust:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons ice water
- .
- For the filling:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh dark sweet cherries, rinsed, halved, and pitted
- 1 pound (2 cups) whole milk or part-skim ricotta cheese
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preparation:
First, make the pastry: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and confectioners' sugar. Use a hand-held pastry blender to cut in the butter, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (Alternatively, you can use a food processor or two knives to cut the butter into the flour. Or, rub the butter into the flour with clean, dry hands -- just take care not to overwork the dough, and work quickly so you don't warm the butter with your hands.)
Using a fork, mix in the egg and ice water, until the dough begins to pull together into a ball. Knead once or twice to ensure that the ingredients are well-mixed. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, or in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Next, assemble the tart: Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, and place on a baking sheet.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough evenly into a 12- to 13-inch round. Transfer the dough to the prepared tart pan. Remove any excess dough that overhangs the rim of the tart pan, and use it to patch any cracks in the dough.
Scatter the cherries evenly, cut side down, over the bottom of the pastry crust.
In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, eggs, sugar, and flour. Scrape in the pulp from the vanilla bean. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
Pour the ricotta mixture into the tart pan, spreading evenly over the cherries with a spatula if needed.
Place the baking sheet with the tart into the preheated oven. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the tart is set and the crust is golden.
Cool the tart on a rack. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. (Wait until the tart has cooled completely before wrapping well and chilling, or it will become soggy. Leftovers may be refrigerated, well wrapped, for 2 to 3 days.