Neapolitan Easter Pie

Neapolitan Easter Pie

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Italian Stuffed Baked Manicotti Recipe Card

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Strawberries cheesecake

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Thank you cookitalia for sharing this recipe. 

I Cassateddi (Ricotta Tarts)

These are the easter treats that my grandmother used to make for us kids they were my favorite, I used to ask my grandmother to make them even though it was not easter and of course she did. My kids go crazy for them. 

1 cup flour
3/4 cup butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk






for filling


2 cups ricotta
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon cinnamon (extra cinnamon to sprinkle)
orange zest or 1/4 teaspoon orange extract
colored sprinkles candies to decorate

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

In a bowl add the butter half the flour and salt, mix with your hands knead the dough by pulling and compacting to an elastic consistency. Then pour the milk and continue to knead add the remaining flour so it will not be sticky. Dough should not stick to your hands, it should be slightly elasticity.

Let the dough rest, meantime prepare the filling. In a bowl add all the ingredients and mix until the ricotta is smooth. If the ricotta is a little runny you can add a little bit of flour but don't over do it. Now the hardest part: roll out the dough. Divide the dough into small balls and flatten then up to about 3 mm thick. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or alluminum spray the foil with cooking spray. With the help of a cup about 4 inches round, cut round discs, then curl edges to form tarts. I made a ring with the dough smaller then the disc to guide me when I pinch the tarts just keep using the same ring. In order to curl the edges take one end of the disc and pinch with your fingers, so the same with the rest of the dough and line them on the baking sheet.

The ring in the middle that guided me to pinch around then I removed it and used it again for the other tarts.

With a spoon fill them with the ricotta filling but not too much because the filling will rise while they are baking. (The tarts will flatten down with they are overfilled that's what happened to me but they still come out good.) Then sprinkle some with cinnamon and some just plain.

Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove from oven and let them cool for a little bit then sprinkle the plain ones with the colored sprinkles candies. 

Note: The first picture above, the tarts are made with the dough that's how my grandmother used to make them and that's the way I like them. The rest of the pictures, they are made with the pillsbury pie crust flattened it and cut circles, my kids like that kind of crust, you can get out the pie crust about 10 tarts.

My Ricotta Pie

This is one of my family's holiday favorite. I make this pie recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas and of course Easter. When I make it my kids can't wait till after dinner so they can have a piece. I will try to make soon the Easter Cassateddi in which are mini ricotta pies that my grandmother used to make for us grandchildren, that is one of my childhood favorite sweets for Easter. I couldn't wait when my grandmother would make them. 

So here is my recipe for the Cassata (Ricotta Pie).

1 - 9" pie crust 

( I use the frozen or the Pillsbury ready pie crust)

1 and 1/2 pounds whole milk ricotta

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 orange zest or 1/8 teaspoon orange extract 

(my kids don't like the zest so I use the extract)

*extra cinnamon to sprinkle on top*

Preheat oven at 350 degrees

In a large bowl mix all ingredients until  ricotta mixture is smooth.

Pour ricotta mixture in pie crust, sprinkle top lightly with cinnamon and bake

 for about 1 hour or ready when knife in center comes out clean.

When ready switch pie on bottom rack and bake for another 10 minutes so the bottom of the crust is cooked. Remove from oven and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Enjoy.

My Ricotta Pie

This is one of my family's holiday favorite. I make this pie recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas and of course Easter. When I make it my kids can't wait to after dinner so they can have a piece. I will try to make soon the Easter Cassateddi in which are mini ricotta pies that my grandmother used to make for us grandchildren, that is one of my childhood favorite sweets for Easter. I couldn't wait when my grandmother would make them. 

So here is my recipe for the Cassata (Ricotta Pie).

1  9" pie crust 

( I use the frozen or the Pillsbury ready pie crust)

1 1/2 pounds whole ricotta

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 cup of sugar

1 orange zest or 1/8 teaspoon orange extract 

(my kids don't like the zest so I use the extract)

*extra cinnamon to sprinkle on top*

In a large bowl mix all ingredients until  ricotta mixture is smooth.

Pour ricotta mixture in pie crust, sprinkle top lightly with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or ready when knife in center comes out clean.

When ready switch pie on bottom rack and bake for another 10 minutes so the bottom of the crust is cooked. Remove from oven and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Enjoy.

Sicilian Ricotta Cheesecake

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Linkev's Pizza Frittata

This pizza frittata can be for any meal, you can substitute any toppings for the pizza frittata, like pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives,peppers, hamburg, chicken, and so on. I personally like the ricotta cheese with the spinach and tomatoes combination.
Make sure if it's hamburg or chicken you cook them before you add them to the eggs or if it's onions, peppers, mushrooms you saute' them.

Ingredients for frittata

12 eggs
2 tablespoons water or milk
salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup of ricotta cheese 
6-8 slices of fresh mozzarella or
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of chopped fresh baby spinach
1 tomato thinly sliced
2 teaspoons plus one tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion thinly sliced

Ingredients for sauce
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes drained
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
6 to 8 large basil leaves chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar

Preheat oven at 350°


In a ovenproof 12-inch nonstick (If you don't have a ovenproof skillet, cover the handle very well with alluminum foil). heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat and saute' onions remove and set aside. In a large enough bowl beat the eggs add water or milk, salt and pepper to taste. add one tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet and heat over medium heat add the eggs, reduce heat to low, cook for about 3 minutes then add the ricotta in teaspoonfuls all around the eggs, add the chopped spinach and tomatoes, once you see that the eggs are set around the edges,(make sure you are not burning the bottom) then tranfer in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes or until eggs are cooked.

Meanwhile in another nonstick skillet heat the olive oil saute' garlic
until soft add the can of tomatoes, basil, salt and sugar, simmer for about 5 minutes, break up tomatoes with a fork.
Spoon sauce over the frittata and top with mozzarella cheese, return to oven and cook until mozzarella cheese is melted.

LinKev's Stuffed Zucchini with ricotta

  

Something that I put together one day and it was a hit.. a good appetizer for parties.

2 large zucchini
1 cup chopped spinach 
1 cup ricotta (whole or lowfat)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup of parmesan grated cheese (reg. or lowfat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil


Preheat oven at 350 degrees F


Cut the ends of the zucchini then cut them in four 
they should be about 1 1/2 inches wide
scoop up the inside half way
Combine all ingredients together
stuff the zucchini you can over stuff them if you want the ricotta will  fall over the zucchini when it bakes and becomes nice and crispy.

Bake for 30 minutes

Serve as single side dish appetizer, you can even serve it with a little bit of sauce on bottom of plate.(optional)

If you have a party you can cut them about 1/2 inch thick spoon the ricotta on top and bake. Great appetizers for a party.

Serves 8 for single appetizers.
Makes about 20 to 24 for party appetizers

LinKev's overstuffed zucchini

I decided to stuff the zucchini with stove top stuffing 
and I used a few of ingredients that I had in the refrigerator.
They turned out to be good. I served them as a side dish but you can even serve  them as appetizers by cutting them in small bite sizes.

3 large zucchini ends trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
3 tablespoons of butter cut in thin slices 
1 chicken stove top stuffing
1 cup of water
1 chopped onion
2 garlic cloves minced
1 large egg slightly beaten
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste



Preheat oven at 400 degrees F.
Scoop the pulp of the zucchini with a spoon leaving 1/4 inch thick shell chop up the pulp.
In a large skillet heat oil and saute' the zucchini pulp, onion and garlic for about 5 minutes drain if needed. 
In a large enough bowl add the zucchini mixture, mozzarella cheese, stuffing, egg, water and salt and pepper mix well.
In a 13x9 baking dish layer the butter slices all around on bottom of pan.
Stuff the zucchini shells with the stuffing mix till it's all finished they should be over stuffed 
then place them in baking dish. 
Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, uncover and broil for another 3 to 5 minutes or until stuffing on top turns brown and crunchy. 

Serves 6

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