At Armando al Pantheon, a trattoria in Rome, meals often are punctuated with a slice of torta antica roma— a rustic tart inspired by the traditional Roman combination of ricotta and cherries.
It’s exceptionally light, with milky-sweet ricotta balanced by tangy, brightly hued fruit preserves. The base is a tender, buttery, almost cake-like crust, and the topping is a crumby mixture of the same composition. Sandwiched between is a layer of jam on a bed of ricotta dotted with poppy and sesame seeds.
In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street Backroads Italy,” we devised a dough that gets flavor and texture from almonds that are ground in the food processor, plus a small measure of semolina (or cornmeal). Lemon zest brings brightness, and baking powder adds a little lift and lightness.
Sour cherry jam, with its balance of sweet and sour, is best in this tart; some brands might specify Morello cherries on the label. If sour cherry jam is not available, good-quality strawberry jam is a better option than sweet cherry jam.
Don’t use part-skim ricotta, as it lacks richness and has a grainy texture. Also, after making the crust mixture and transferring half to the pan, be sure to refrigerate the remainder, which will become the crumb topping.If it’s kept at room temperature, it won’t hold its shape during baking and will melt into the filling.
Lastly, don’t spread the ricotta and jam layers all the way to the edges or the filling will caramelize against and stick to the pan, making it tricky to remove the tart for serving. Covered tightly, leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Start to finish: 2 hours (50 minutes active), plus cooling
Servings: Makes one 9-inch tart
Ingredients:
For the crust and topping:
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
65 grams (½ cup) slivered almonds
71 grams (⅓ cup) white sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
163 grams (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
57 grams (⅓ cup) semolina flour or 48 grams (⅓ cup) fine yellow cornmeal
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
85 grams (6 tablespoons) salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, room temperature
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For the filling and finishing:
15- or 16-ounce container whole-milk ricotta
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
320 grams (1 cup) sour cherry jam (see headnote)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Powdered sugar, to serve
Directions:
Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Mist a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
To make the crust and topping, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg and vanilla. In a food processor, combine the almonds, white sugar and lemon zest. Process until the nuts are roughly chopped, about 15 seconds. Add both flours, the baking powder and salt; pulse to combine, about 5 pulses. Scatter the butter over the top, then pulse until the butter has been reduced to pea-sized bits, about 10 pulses. Drizzle the egg mixture over the top, then pulse until the mixture is evenly moistened and resembles damp sand; it will not form a cohesive dough.
Transfer half of the mixture to the prepared springform pan, then distribute in an even layer and lightly press it; do not firmly compact the mixture. Transfer the remainder to a medium bowl and refrigerate uncovered until needed. Bake the crust until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, egg yolk, poppy seeds, vanilla and almond extracts (if using); fold with a silicone spatula until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. In a small bowl, stir together the jam and lemon zest; set aside.
When the crust is done, transfer to a wire rack and cool for about 15 minutes; leave the oven on.
Scrape the ricotta mixture onto the still-warm crust and spread in an even layer, leaving a ¼-inch border at the edge. Dollop the jam onto the ricotta and gently spread in an even layer to cover the ricotta layer; try not to mix the jam into the cheese. Remove the topping mixture from the refrigerator. Scoop up a handful, firmly squeeze it until it forms a cohesive clump, then crumble and break the clump into bits, scattering them over the tart; aim for a mixture of fine crumbles and pebbly, pistachio-sized pieces. Continue adding the remaining topping in the same way, distributing it in an even layer; it will not fully cover the tart. Bake until the jam is bubbling at the edges and the crumb topping is light golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and cool for about 30 minutes. Remove the pan sides and cool completely. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar.
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street at 177milkstreet.com/ap
