Introduction to the Ancient Ricotta Tart

The traditional Roman combination of ricotta and cherries is the inspiration behind the rustic tart, torta antica roma, served at Armando al Pantheon, a trattoria in Rome. This ancient dessert has been a staple in Italian cuisine for centuries, with its perfect balance of flavors and textures.

The Perfect Balance of Flavors

The tart is 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.

The Importance of Quality Ingredients

In this recipe, 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.

Tips for Making the Perfect Crust

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.

Assembling the Tart

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.

By CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL

Recipe: Ricotta and Cherry Jam Tart

Overview

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

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

1. Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Mist a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
2. 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.
3. Transfer half of the mixture to the prepared s