Cooking with Manuela: Ricotta and Berry Tart

Brighten up your day with this amazing tart made with sun-kissed ripe berries, delicate and rich ricotta cheese, over a buttery and crumbly crust

I was walking past a bakery the other day, and there it was. A big fat slice of the most luscious-looking berry tart. And it got my attention, with its sweet berries on top, the rich and velvety filling and the perfectly looking crust. It was clearly calling my name!
Most people would have probably rushed over and bought the slice. But not I. What if it wasn't as delicious as I imagined?!? A big dry and tasteless, disappointing piece of sugar-filled concoction.
Rather than taking that chance (I guess I'm not a big risk-taker, haha) I thought I should make my own ricotta berry tart. As scrumptious as I imagined.
And BAM! Here it is.

Rich, creamy and perfectly sweet. Somewhat like a cheesecake. But less cheesy and more cake-y. Rich, but not too heavy. Sweet, but not overly sweet. You know what I mean, right?! If not, you will have to try this recipe, and tell me what you think.

This recipe first appeared on Cooking with Manuela in November 2016

PRINTABLE RECIPE

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INGREDIENTS:

YIELD: a 14 x 5 inches tart (35.5 x 12.5 cm)

- for the crust:
  - 1 egg
  - 1/3 cup (65 gr) of sugar
  - 4 oz (115 gr) of unsalted butter, softened*
  - 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  - 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of milk
  - 1 1/2 cups (225 gr) of all purpose flour
  for the filling:
  - 12 oz (340 gr) of ricotta cheese (I use whole milk)
  - 3 eggs
  - 2/3 cup (130 gr) of sugar
  - 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  - 2 tablespoons (20 gr) of corn starch
  - 1 pinch of salt
  - 1 1/4 cups (150 gr) of berries (frozen or fresh)
  *Remove the butter from the refrigerator for about 20- 30 minutes

PREPARATION:

1. Grease a 14 x 5 inches (35.5 x 12.5 cm) tart pan with removable bottom with butter and flour. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C).
Starting with the crust:

In a large bowl, beat the egg with the 1/3 cup of sugar.

Add one stick of butter and mix well.

Add the salt, vanilla extract, two tablespoons of milk and the flour.

Mix until combined.

Move the dough onto the prepared pan. Press it down into the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
You can use your spoon (a little hard to do) or your hands (easier!). You can sprinkle lightly with flour if the dough sticks to your fingers.

Make the bottom as even as you can, and work around the sides with your thumbs removing any extra dough from the edges and adding dough if necessary. This dough is super easy to work with.

Prick the bottom with a fork. Set aside.

2. Prepare the filling: Combine all the ingredients (ricotta, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, corn starch and salt) in a bowl.

And blend well.

Pour the filling on the tart crust.

Sprinkle the top with the berries.

3. Bake at 375° F (190° C) for 50-55 minutes or until the edges are golden and the middle is set.
Wait for the tart to cool off, before removing from the pan.