-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.
Yields
8 Servings