This Spring Pea and Ricotta Tart is packed with green vegetables and herbs and could be the most perfect beginning of spring. Use the lovely homemade butter based crust or whatever ready-made crust you like. A burst of spring vegetables in every bite!
I even was able to add in a little bit of whole-wheat flour in the amazing homemade crust (nobody noticed it was there!). This tart looks and tastes like spring to me!
What is it with peas? Some people just hate...I mean, HATE THEM! I'm not one of those people. It's not that I go crazy about them and say, "Hey! I'm having a mad craving for PEAS!" But, I do sort of enjoy them, in a very subtle way.
And my kids sort of have amnesia, but I had to remind the both of them that I used to make peas and place it directly on their high chair tray, and they both would eat them one after another. Almost as if it were candy! I swear, they both did! They don't remember and they think I'm making this up.
Luckily, they both like ricotta, they both like spinach, and peas is one of those vegetables that they can take or leave. They'd rather take peas when they're nestled in sweet ricotta cheese and filled in a flaky and delicious homemade crust! It's a good thing I'm writing this blog so there is proof that I used to make them homemade tart crusts for dinner! What a mom!
So where are you with peas? Love them or leave them?!? (I won't judge, just simply curious). Let me know in the comments below!!
What is a ricotta tart?
Ricotta tart is a traditional Italian dessert that has been enjoyed for centuries. It typically features a sweet crust filled with creamy ricotta cheese and a variety of sweet or savory ingredients. The history of this tart dates back to the 14th century when it was first introduced in Italy.
Why you'll love this ricotta tart
- Delicious and unique flavor: This ricotta tart recipe features a combination of savory ingredients like spinach, peas, mint, and chives, which create a delicious and unique flavor profile that you won't find in other ricotta tart recipes.
- Healthful ingredients: This recipe includes wholesome ingredients like whole wheat flour, fresh spinach, and peas, making it a healthier option for a tasty treat.
- Versatile: Ricotta tart can be served as a savory or sweet dish depending on the ingredients you use. This recipe can be easily adapted to suit your taste preferences, making it a versatile addition to your recipe collection.
- Simple and easy to make: The recipe is relatively straightforward, making it easy for even beginner cooks to follow. The dough can be made ahead of time, and the filling is a simple mix of ingredients that can be prepared quickly.
- Perfect for entertaining: Ricotta tart is a classic Italian dish that is perfect for entertaining guests. This recipe yields a beautiful tart that can be served as an appetizer or a main dish, making it a great option for a dinner party or special occasion.
What's needed for Spring Pea and Ricotta Tart?
To make this lovely savory tart, you'll need:
For the crust:
- cold cider vinegar
- all-purpose flour,
- whole wheat flour
- sea salt
- cold unsalted butter
- cold cream cheese
For the filling:
- ricotta
- egg
- spinach
- baby peas
- grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- mint leaves
- chopped chives
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- butter
How to make a ricotta tart?
- CRUST
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Combine water and vinegar in a small bowl. Combine flour and salt in another bowl.
- Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter and cream cheese into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining.
- Add water mixture to dough in a slow, steady stream, stirring, until mixture just begins to hold together. (Alternatively, pulse ingredients in a food processor.) Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Press dough into a disk. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.
- FILLING
- Roll dough to fit your chosen tart pan, then drape dough in pan. Neatly press dough up the sides of the pan and shape it. Set it on a sheet pan. Prick bottom of the tart with a fork.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta and egg. Stir in the steamed spinach, peas, Parmigiano Reggiano, mint, chives, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- Spoon filling into tart shell and spread around evenly.
- Dot top of tart with butter.
- BAKE
- Place the tart pan over a foil lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the tart is golden brown and the filling is set. Check tart at about 30 minutes. If the tart shell is browning too much, cover the tart with foil paper for the rest of the baking time.
- Let tart cool before removing from tart pan or slice directly in the tart pan when warm. If you remember, you could place a few mint sprigs on top before serving.
Substitutions and Variations for this Italian ricotta cheese tart
- Flour: You can use all-purpose flour instead of a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour. You could also try using alternative flours such as almond flour or gluten-free flour for a gluten-free version.
- Vegetables: You can substitute or add different vegetables such as kale, roasted red peppers, zucchini, or roasted eggplant. You could also use frozen peas instead of fresh.
- Cheese: Instead of Parmigiano Reggiano, you could use Pecorino Romano, Asiago, or a combination of different hard cheeses.
- Herbs: You could experiment with different herbs such as basil, oregano, or thyme. You could also add some crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
- Protein: You could add some cooked and crumbled bacon, diced ham, or chopped chicken for an added protein boost.
- Crust: If you don't want to make your own crust, you could use a store-bought pie crust or even a puff pastry sheet as a base for the tart.
- Sweet version: To make a sweet version of this tart, you could omit the vegetables and add in some fruit such as berries, figs, or peaches. You could also add some honey or maple syrup to the ricotta filling for sweetness.
- Vegan version: To make a vegan version, you could use a vegan butter substitute, a vegan cream cheese substitute, and a plant-based ricotta cheese. You could also use a flax or chia egg instead of a regular egg.
expert tips for making this ricotta tart recipe:
- Use cold butter and cream cheese: It's important to use cold butter and cream cheese for the crust to ensure it's flaky and tender. Cut the butter and cream cheese into small pieces and work quickly to incorporate them into the flour mixture.
- Chill the dough: After making the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight. This will help the dough become firm and easier to work with.
- Blind-bake the crust: To prevent the crust from becoming soggy, you can blind-bake it before adding the filling. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with baking beans or rice, then bake for about 15 minutes until the crust is set but not browned.
- Drain the ricotta: To avoid a watery filling, it's important to drain the ricotta cheese. Place it in a cheesecloth-lined strainer over a bowl and let it drain for about 30 minutes before using.
- Customize the filling: This recipe is very versatile, so feel free to customize the filling to suit your taste preferences. You can use different vegetables, cheeses, and herbs, and even add in some protein for an extra boost. Just make sure the filling is well-seasoned with salt and pepper before baking.
FAQ'S
Yes, you can use any type of vinegar that you prefer or have on hand.
Yes, you can make the crust up to 2 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
Yes, you can use all-purpose flour for the entire amount of flour in the recipe if you prefer.
Yes, you can use any type of hard cheese that you prefer, such as Pecorino Romano or Asiago.
Can I use a ready made pie crust for this savory tart?
Yes, if you don't have the time to make your own crust (or the desire), use a ready-made pie crust. I'm telling you, there is a huge flavor difference! If you do have the time and desire, you'll be so excited at how easy this is to put together and how incredible it tastes!
Can I make this tart without peas?
If you aren't a fan of peas, just leave them out! The peas and spinach go together really nicely with the delicate sweetness of the ricotta. So perfect for a vegetarian dinner idea and it's good hot and even better cold!
Yes, even better cold! If you have any leftover slices, I guarantee the next day you'll sneak in the fridge to take out a tiny sliver and the tiny sliver will turn into a whole slice.
Can I add crispy pancetta or bacon to this ricotta tart?
Yes! If you are dreaming of a little pancetta or bacon in this tart...go ahead! Cook it up and crumble it up. Stir it in with the ricotta or simply sprinkle some on top after it's baked.
How to store this ricotta tart?
The tart will stay at room temperature safely while you're enjoying it at your meal. Store whatever is leftover in a plastic or glass container in the refrigerator. Once it has baked, let it completely cool and you could store the whole tart.
Simply wrap it with plastic wrap and foil paper and keep in the refrigerator. Reheat it when ready to serve on a cookie sheet covered with foil at 325F for about 25 mins.
I have a thing for savory tarts and here are some other savory tarts I think you'll enjoy:
- Ham, Goat Cheese and Vidalia Onion Tart
- Sweet Potato, Goat Cheese and Bacon Tart
- Mixed Vegetable Galette
- Sicilian Pasta with Ground Chicken
Originally published May 4, 2020 and slightly updated on April 29, 2021.
Spring Pea and Ricotta Tart
Ingredients
- CRUST
- 2 teaspoons cold water
- 1 teaspoon cold cider vinegar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour plus more for surface
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 4 ounces cold cream cheese cut into small pieces
- FILLING
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 egg
- 1 cup spinach I used one bag of fresh baby spinach steamed
- 1/2 cup baby peas
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 10 mint leaves thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped chives
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon butter cut up in small pieces
Instructions
- CRUST
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Combine water and vinegar in a small bowl. Combine flour and salt in another bowl.
- Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter and cream cheese into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining.
- Add water mixture to dough in a slow, steady stream, stirring, until mixture just begins to hold together. (Alternatively, pulse ingredients in a food processor.) Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Press dough into a disk. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.
- FILLING
- Roll dough to fit your chosen tart pan, then drape dough in pan. Neatly press dough up the sides of the pan and shape it. Set it on a sheet pan. Prick bottom of the tart with a fork.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta and egg. Stir in the steamed spinach, peas, Parmigiano Reggiano, mint, chives, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- Spoon filling into tart shell and spread around evenly.
- Dot top of tart with butter.
- BAKE
- Place the tart pan over a foil lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the tart is golden brown and the filling is set. Check tart at about 30 minutes. If the tart shell is browning too much, cover the tart with foil paper for the rest of the baking time.
- Let tart cool before removing from tart pan or slice directly in the tart pan when warm. If you remember, you could place a few mint sprigs on top before serving.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Dena Holbrooks says
absolutely love peas and my Grandson eats them like candy. Frozen ! So wilbe doing this for Nigel and his Mimi. Your crust recipe looks delightful. Cannot wait to make it. I just did your marinated zucchini and used mizran, Will let you know how it turns out.
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Lora says
Hi Dena, That is so cute that your grandson enjoys peas so much (and frozen, too!). Let me know how the marinated zucchini turned out using mizran. I hope you do make this and that you and Nigel will enjoy it. Have a great Sunday!
Thomas Matson says
I’m excited about making this recipe. Are you sure that you don’t need to blind bake the crust before adding the filling?
Lora says
Hi Thomas, I've made this so many times not blind baking it, and it turns out great, but go ahead and blind bake the crust! Thank you for checking (I'll add that in the notes inside of the post).