Crostata di Visciole con Ricotta alla Romana-Ebraica
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.