Crostata ricotta e arance - Orange and Ricotta Tart

I enjoy recipes that speak about friendship: they keep alive the pleasure of sharing.
My friend Carla gave me this recipe long ago. So light, delicate and easy to prepare that it soon became my favourite tart. I often made it at home, I gave the recipes to my friends and taught how to prepare it in the cooking courses I have been running with Carla in Richmond for years. 

Then, I stopped, as I switched into new ideas. 

Few months ago, Carla asked me for the Orange and Ricotta Tart recipe, as she couldn't find it in her files. I immediately felt like making it again.
Here we are: this is my beloved tart that brings me closer to my friend avery time I prepare it.

I prefer to make my own short crust pastry. It doesn't take long, if you have a kitchen robot that mix all the ingredients together. However, the already-made one works as well, as Carla suggests.
Whatever pastry you choose, just make sure to cook it blind.

I use the commercial ricotta for the filling, as I find it difficult to get the fresh one in London and I am not good at making my own ricotta at home.

It is essential to remove any white skin from the oranges, and to make it easy, use a sharp and large knife.

Crostata ricotta e arance - Orange and Ricotta Tart

For the short crust pastry
100 g cold butter
100 g caster sugar
200 g plain white flour
3 yolks
For the filling
3 Seville oranges
2 tablespoons Demerara sugar
1 knob of butter
10 ml Grand Marnier
250 g ricotta
60 g icing sugar, plus to decorate
4 yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Serves 8 people
Preparation time: 30 minutes plus 30 minutes for the pastry to rest in the fridge.
Cooking time: 60 minutes

Short crust pastry

1. In a food processor mix butter, sugar, flour, egg yolks and lemon zest into smooth dough. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 180° C.
3. Grease a non-stick loose-base fluted flan tin (24 cm diameter) with butter and dust it with flour.
4. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle and arrange it into the tin, flatting the base and pressing the borders with your fingers.
5. Bake it blind for 15 to 20 minutes, until just golden.
6. Remove from the oven but keep the oven hot. 
7. Filling
8. Remove the zest of one orange and set aside.
9. With a sharp knife, peel the 3 oranges, removing all the white skin as well. 
10. Divide the fruits into segments.
11. In a pan, heat the butter and sauté the orange segments with the caster sugar for 5 minutes. Add the Grand Marnier and cook for another 2 minutes. 
12. Drain and keep the juice. Leave to cool.
13. In a bowl, mix ricotta with icing sugar, yolks, the orange zest, the vanilla extract and the oranges’ juice.
14. Cover the bottom of the tart with the sautéed oranges and spread the ricotta mixture on top.
15. Bake for approx 40 minutes, until golden-brown on top.
16. Remove the tart from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes. 
17. Remove the tart from the tin and place it on a serving dish.
18. Dust it with icing sugar and serve.