PHILLY.INQUIRER
FOR THE CRUST
3/4 lb Crisco
2 1/2 c Flour
5 Egg yolks
2 tb Or 3 of sugar
FOR THE FILLING
3 lb Ricotta
7 Whole eggs
5 Extra whites
1/2 c Sugar or more
1 Grated rind of 1 or more
Lemons
1 tb Vanilla
2 tb Liqueur
Crust: Mix Crisco shortening with flour, cutting it in with pastry blender
or two knives until you get beads like small peass. Mix in the egg yolks
and sugar. Knead a little bit to get it to hang together. Add more flour if
you have to. Don’t play with it! Put in the refrigerator while you do the
rest. FILLING: A lot depends on the ricotta here. Supermarket ricotta must
be drained of whey. Italian cheese stores and delis throughout the city
(Philly) especially at this season, sell handmade ricotta, which makes a
denser and creamier cake. It coasts about $2.00 more for 3 lbs. “I use Tia
Maria, Grand Marnier, Amaretto, whatever liqueur I feel like depending on
my many moods”, says Nanny Giordano. Beat up the eggs good with sugar,mix
in lemon, vanilla and liqueur, then mix with cheese.” Beat it up nice,
don’t go” Johanna flings her hands around aimlessly.” GET IT Smooth”. Use a
deep ovenproof glass.I used a 2″ deep,13″ oval dish from France,Arcuisine
d’Arcopal. Nanny doesn’t bother, but I rubbed the surface with a little
shortening to prevent sticking. Take dough from refrigerator. “Can you roll
it out? Yes but don’t bother “Take pieces in your hands and plaster the
inside of the dish, more or less lumpily smooth. Pour in filling. Bake in a
slow oven, at 325 deg. “until it’s done. About 1 hour. It’ll set and puff.
You’ll see. “I made this recipe. I saw. It works.You may have more or less
chese left over,depending on your baking dish and your ricotta.But it will
work… This is the recipe of Johanna Guarracino as told to Jim Quinn of
the Inqir.
From
Yields
8 Servings