Pumpkin Ricotta Tart

We had some pumpkin we needed to use, and through a combined effort, here's what we came up with today:  A pumpkin ricotta tart.  The pastry dough and pumpkin topping are pure Southern United States fare.  The tart pan and ricotta base are Italian inspirations.  Everyone was pleased with the hybrid product, so I'll share it here.

This makes 2 9-inch tarts.

Ingredients:

For the ricotta base layer:

1.5 cups ricotta
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the pumpkin top layer:

1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
2 tablespoons water

2 unbaked pastry shells (9-inch). (See below for recipe)

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl, add the ricotta ingredients and blend with a wisk or fork.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices, and flour. Add eggs; mix well. Add evaporated milk, water, and mix well. 

Pour ricotta base into pastry-lined pie pan.  Then top with the pumpkin filling.   Bake at 400° for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and bake about 35 minutes longer, or until center is set.

You can, of course, use a store-bought  pie crust.  If you choose to make your own, here's a recipe that pairs well with the ricotta and pumpkin filling.

Butter Pie Crust

The instructions will yield enough dough for 2 9-inch topless pies or tarts. 

Prep time: 1 hour, 15 minutes. 

Note:  Work with very cold butter. Cut the butter into cubes and freeze, at least 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
6 to 8 Tbsp ice water


Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough doesn't hold together, add a little more water and pulse again. Note that too much water will make the crust tough.

Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface.  Shape the dough mixture into two disks. Work the dough just enough to form the disks, do not over-knead. Sprinkle a little flour around the disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days.

Remove one crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes in order to soften just enough to make rolling out a bit easier. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch.  If the dough is sticking, add a few sprinkles of flour under the the dough. Carefully place onto a 9-inch pie plate. Gently press the pie dough down so that it lines the bottom and sides of the pie or tart plate.

Add filling to the pie.