For ➑crust:
500 g unbleached all purpose flour
4 egg yolks
grated zest of 1 orange
1 ts vanilla extract
350 g unsalted butter
200 g powdered sugar
a pinch of salt
filling:
300 g fresh ricotta
4 egg yolks
50 cl whole milk
60 g flour
180 g sugar
decoration:
1 egg yolk
handful of peeled blanched almonds or pine nuts
confectioner's sugar
Prepare the dough by mixing the ingredients gently. Chill the dough for 1 h in the refrigerator.
In the meantime, lightly whisk the yolks and the sugar, then sift in the flour, mixing carefully to keep lumps from forming, and then add the milk in a thin stream, again stirring gently.
Once the mixture is smooth, gently heat it, while stirring carefully, until it begins to thicken. Once it reaches a very slow boil, count to 120 while stirring gently and it is done. Transfer it to a bowl because it will cream to cook in the pot, and let it cool thoroughly. Mix the ricotta into it.
Preheat your oven to 180°C.
Roll out the dough and use half of it to line a crostata pan (a low-sided 25 cm pan). Pour the ricotta mixture into the middle of the pan, forming a mound, and cover it with the remaining half of the dough, tamping the edges down firmly to seal them.
Whisk the remaining egg yolk, brush it over the top of the torta, and scatter the nuts over it.
Bake the torta for 1 h.
Let it cool, dust it with confectioner's sugar, and serve.
The torta della nonna is a classic Tuscan cheese tart, meaning granny's pie, sometimes made with mascarpone instead of ricotta.
