Rome (Jewish Ghetto), Lazio
The most celebrated Roman-Jewish pastry: a short pastry crostata with a filling of fresh ricotta and sugar topped with sour cherry (visciole) jam. In the original ghetto preparation, the ricotta layer was hidden beneath a top crust of pastry to make the dairy-cheese component invisible — observant Jews who kept dairy and meat separate could signal to guests which type of dish it was by whether the ricotta was covered. The pastry has since become one of Rome's beloved desserts, usually served open-face revealing the white-and-red filling.
Neutral, milky ricotta against the tartness of sour cherry jam in a buttery short pastry crust — the most elegant Roman dessert, carrying five centuries of the Ghetto's culinary history
{"Short pastry: 00 flour, butter, sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest — rested 30 min before lining the tart tin","Ricotta filling: well-drained ricotta, sugar, a scrape of lemon zest and vanilla — not cooked before assembly","Visciole jam: bitter-sweet cherry jam (not sweet commercial cherry jam — the acidity is essential)","Layer: pastry shell, ricotta filling, visciole jam on top, lattice or whole top pastry","Bake at 175°C for 35–40 min until the pastry is golden and the ricotta is just set"}
{"The ricotta should come from sheep's milk (pecora) if possible — the slight gaminess is part of the Roman-Jewish character","The crostata improves after 12 hours — the jam layer has time to set and the pastry absorbs the fruit's acidity","A thin glaze of heated visciole jam brushed over the top lattice after baking gives a beautiful finish"}
{"Undrained ricotta — the excess moisture creates a wet, sunken filling","Sweet cherry jam — the tartness of visciole is essential to balance the neutral ricotta sweetness","Over-baking — the ricotta becomes grainy when overcooked"}
La Cucina Ebraico-Romana — Donatella Limentani Pavoncello