Steps

• Choosing the right ricotta is fundamental for the success of the double layer tart.

• Too fresh or too moist ricotta might release whey during cooking, making the base soggy and compromising the shortcrust’s crispness.

• Which ricotta is best to choose? You’ll find all the details at the end 🧡

• Pour the ricotta into a fine-mesh sieve or a clean cloth, let it drain in the refrigerator for at least 2–3 hours (better overnight).

• Then place it in a bowl and gently mix it with a fork until it’s soft and uniform.

• For a more stable filling, you can add a teaspoon of cornstarch (or starch) ONLY IF the ricotta is still slightly moist, it will help absorb excess liquid during cooking.

• Add sugar, orange zest (or lemon), and the flavoring you prefer (I used orange for a more intense fragrance and flavor).

  

• Give it a good stir and the filling is ready. Store in the fridge and proceed to prepare the shortcrust pastry.

• A smart tip before starting is to weigh all the ingredients you need, so you have them all at hand.

• This way you will also be sure not to forget anything during preparation!

• Take a large bowl and break the eggs inside. Add the sugar and immediately mix with a hand whisk to dissolve it.

  

• Grate the lemon zest (organic and well washed) and add the oil, a pinch of salt. Mix well for a couple of minutes.

  

• Finally, incorporate the flour and baking powder and mix first with a fork, this will prevent dirtying your hands.

  

• When the dry ingredients have absorbed the liquid ones, turn everything onto a work surface and knead quickly with your hands until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough.

• If you’re experienced, you can do this directly in the bowl like I do, so you won’t have to dirty the work surface!

• Divide the pastry into two parts, one larger to line the pan and one to make the decorative strips.

  

• Cover the smaller part with a bowl or film to prevent it from drying out and leave it at room temperature.

• With the help of a rolling pin, roll out the larger pastry on a sheet of parchment paper which you will then turn directly into the pan.

• Take a tart dish (mine measured 11 inches in diameter and 2 inches in height) and line it with the rolled-out pastry.

• Make sure the dough adheres well to the edges to have a high enough shell to contain the two types of filling.

  

• At this point, you can choose between two cooking methods: “blind baking” (i.e., base without filling) or complete baking, with ricotta and jam together.

• It’s the method I prefer, especially when using ricotta-based fillings, because it allows you to get a perfectly dry and crumbly base.

• To do it, line the pastry with a sheet of parchment paper, pour dried legumes (or ceramic beads) on top, which act as a counterweight otherwise the pastry will swell.

  

• About 1.75 lbs of dried chickpeas are needed to create a substantial weight. Once baking is done, let them cool and set them aside for the next blind baking 👌

• ✅ Pros of this cooking:
  Dry and crumbly base
  More stable ricotta during baking
  Perfect for those who want to serve the tart even the next day
  ⚠️ Cons:
  Simply requires an extra step (pre-baking + filling and second baking)

• Bake the base for about 15 minutes in a preheated oven, static mode at 340°F.

• After the time has elapsed, remove the tart from the oven, remove the chickpeas and the parchment paper, and pour the previously seasoned ricotta on the bottom.

  

• Level with a spatula and finally pour the jam or jelly of your choice on top. Spread with the back of a spoon.

• Roll out the leftover pastry and create the decorative strips. Decorate the tart’s surface and put back in the oven at 320°F for another 30 minutes approximately.

  

• Only if you like to sprinkle the strips of pastry with granulated sugar, which will make them delicious and crunchy!

  

• Always do the check before taking it out of the oven and read at the end my tips to check if the tart base is cooked.

• It’s the fastest method: roll out the pastry, fill with ricotta and jam, and bake everything together at 356°F for ABOUT 40 minutes.

• ✅ Pros:
  Faster, one baking step
  Moister filling
  ⚠️ Cons:
  The base tends to remain softer
  After a few hours, it may lose a bit of crunchiness under the filling.

• In this case, the ingredients for the shortcrust remain UNCHANGED. Only the fat part to use will change, namely butter, equal to 8 1/2 oz.

• If you want to prepare the shortcrust quickly and cleanly, you can easily make it in the mixer or food processor. It will only take a few seconds!

• Put the flour, cold butter in pieces, and a pinch of salt in the bowl, then pulse until you get a sandy mixture.

• Add sugar, eggs, and lemon zest, then pulse again until the dough starts to come together.

• At that point, transfer it onto a sheet of film, compact it with your hands without kneading too much, form a dough ball, and let it rest in the refrigerator for AT LEAST 30 minutes.

• If you don’t have a mixer, you can easily make the shortcrust by hand, directly in a bowl. Cut the cold butter into cubes and quickly work it with the flour, rubbing between your fingers until you get the classic sandy consistency.

• Add sugar, egg, and flavors, then knead just enough to get a smooth and homogeneous dough ball.

• You can do it without a work surface, inside the bowl, or on a sheet of parchment paper, so you avoid flouring the entire work surface.
  

• Wrap in film and let rest in the fridge. After the time has passed, proceed as for the oil shortcrust pastry choosing whether to pre-cook or bake everything together.

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