In a word, this pie is delicious!
I’m going to be brutally honest here and let you know the one challenge with this recipe is the pie crust. The word ‘crust’ is deceiving. It’s actually a sticky, doughy blob of a crust and the only way I can get it into the pie plates is to place it in the center as a ball and smooth it outward until the plate is covered. You can add more flour to the dough if you like, but I think the super sticky quality of the dough is what makes the crust so darn good!
Please…don’t let the sticky dough stop you from making this recipe! It’s well worth the effort of the crust. Trust me on this one. This recipe came from my grandmother and has been in our family for many years. The original version yields three pies, and I’ve managed to get that many pies out of this recipe, but I actually prefer making two pies with more filling and the dough is so sticky it’s difficult to sometimes get three pies out of it. You might feel differently, so go for it!
Creamy Dreamy Cassata pie
PREP TIME20 MIN COOK TIME45 MIN TOTAL TIME1 HR 5 MIN
Ingredients
Pie Crust Ingredients
1 lb all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 stick butter
2 tbsps crisco
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Filling
Filling
3 lbs Ricotta
4 eggs
1/2 lb honey
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 large plain milk chocolate bar, shaved or grated
1 tsp grated lemon peel
cinnamon
Instructions
Mix all dry ingredients, including lemon peel.
Work butter and crisco into flour, avoiding clumps.
Beat eggs and milk together. Make a well in the flour and begin making dough. Keep some flour handy as the dough is VERY soft and will be quite sticky.
Try not to add too much flour to the dough. Knead for a few minutes, wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator.
Mix all ingredients (except cinnamon) in a large bowl and beat at medium speed until creamy and smooth. Separate dough into two pieces. Roll out each one and place in pie tin. Fill each one with ricotta mixture. Sprinkle each with cinnamon and bake at 400 for 40 minutes. Let cool on racks and enjoy!
Danni@SiloHillFarm says
This looks very interesting. So is it basically a chocolate pie or is the chocolate flavor pretty mild?
Doreen Sargente says
The chocolate plays a minor role Danni. Primarily, it is a ricotta cheese pie. You could add more chocolate if you like, but no matter what the cheese would be the primary flavor. If you decide to make it, just make sure you whip the cheese sufficiently. That gives it a really creamy texture that’s hard to resist.
Danni@SiloHillFarm says
ooooh…exactly the reply I was hoping for! I like chocolate, but a little goes a long way with me! Thank you and thanks for the tip on whipping it sufficiently!
Vashti Quiroz-Vega says
Wow! This is something I have to try. I love ricotta cheese and chocolate. It never occurred to me to combine the two. Thank you!
Doreen@househoneys says
Thank you Vashti for stopping by! I just visited your blog. You’re an extremely gifted writer. I’m impressed. Good luck with your new book!
Vashti Quiroz-Vega says
Thank you so much Doreen! I’m so happy you enjoyed my blog. Thank you for stopping by. I’m going to definitely visit yours frequently to get these great recipes and much more! <3
Doreen@househoneys says
Sounds good to me :). And please do let me know when The Basement is available for purchase.
Vashti Quiroz-Vega says
Will do Doreen. Thank you very much. <3