This strawberry and ricotta tart, also known as crostata di fragole e ricotta, is a classic Italian dessert made with a buttery crust and lightly sweet ricotta filling. Topped with fresh strawberries, it's the perfect summer tart that's elegant, simple, and not overly sweet.
If you love sweet recipes with strawberries, you'll also love my Easy Strawberry Crumble Bars with Oats, and Quick Strawberry Panna Cotta with Strawberries (perfect for showcasing fresh summer berries).
Strawberries had me baking nonstop. Cakes, pies, tarts, scones. The kind of baking spree that only happens when strawberries are at their peak and too beautiful to ignore.
What really set this off was the June issue of La Cucina Italiana, which featured an entire section dedicated to Italian strawberry desserts. Trionfo di Fragole, Biscotti alle Fragole, Pudding di Riso with strawberry sauce and then this one. A stunning Crostata di Fragole e Ricotta.
I made it immediately and it was a huge success. The filling is custard-like thanks to the ricotta and egg yolks, rich but delicate. The crust is buttery and tender. And like most Italian desserts, it's balanced. Never too sweet. Just right.
This is one of those desserts that feels special but completely doable. The kind you make once and then keep coming back to every strawberry season.
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Why You'll Love This Strawberry Ricotta Tart
- Classic Italian dessert made with simple, fresh ingredients
- Lightly sweet ricotta filling that pairs perfectly with strawberries
- Buttery, tender crust that holds its shape beautifully
- Elegant enough for guests, easy enough for home baking
- Naturally less sweet than American-style tarts
Ingredients
Crust:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine sea salt
1 stick ( ½ cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing pans
Filling:
1 ¼ cups fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese
4 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon orange flower water
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
¾ pound strawberries, sliced
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Instructions
Make the Crust
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, and a pinch of salt.
- Add ½ cup cold butter and rub it into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Make a well in the center and add 2 tablespoons cold water. Mix just until the dough comes together.
- Knead gently 3 to 4 times, flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Butter a 9½-inch tart pan. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch round. Fit into the pan, pressing into the edges. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center. Line the tart shell with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges are pale golden. Remove parchment and weights and bake 5 minutes more, until the bottom is lightly golden. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Filling
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk 1¼ cups ricotta until smooth.
- Add 4 egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon orange flower water, and lemon zest. Whisk until fully combined.
- Spread the filling evenly into the cooled tart shell. Bake, rotating once halfway through, for about 35 minutes, until just set in the center and a tester inserted comes out clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Assemble the Tart
- Arrange ¾ pound sliced strawberries in concentric circles on top of the tart.
- Dust the edges lightly with confectioners sugar, remove from the pan, and serve.
Recipe Variations
- Use mascarpone for a richer filling
- Add vanilla instead of orange flower water
- Make mini tarts for individual servings
- Swap strawberries for raspberries or mixed berries
- Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream on the side
Pro Tips
- Drain ricotta well if it's very moist for a firmer filling
- Chill the crust properly to prevent shrinking
- Don't overbake the filling. It should be just set
- Assemble with strawberries close to serving for best texture
FAQ
Yes. Bake the tart and add strawberries the day you plan to serve it.
No. Like most Italian desserts, it's lightly sweet and balanced.
Whole-milk ricotta gives the best texture and flavor, but part-skim works if well drained.
Freezing and Storing
Store the tart covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. This dessert does not freeze well once assembled, but the baked crust and filling can be made one day ahead.
More Strawberry Desserts to Love
Creative Culinary's Strawberry Mascarpone Tart
Bell'Alimento Strawberry and Ricotta Tart (this is how it looks made as 9 inch tart size)
Ask Chef Dennis Strawberry and Ricotta Tart (this is another one as 9 inch tart)
Life's a Feast Strawberry Mascarpone Cream Tart
BEST Strawberry Ricotta Tart Recipe
Equipment
- (9 ½-inch) tart pan with removable bottom
Ingredients
Crust:
Filling:
- 1 ¼ cups fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon orange flower water
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- ¾ pound strawberries sliced
- Confectioners sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Crust directions: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and rub mixture between fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Make a well in center, add 2 tablespoons water and mix together to form a dough. Knead dough 3 to 4 times, flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Butter a 9 ½-inch tart pan. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round. Fit dough into tart pan, pressing into edges; chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oven to 400º with rack in middle. Line tart pan with parchment paper, leaving at least 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are pale golden, about 10 minutes. Remove parchment and weights; continue to bake until bottom of crust is pale golden and edges are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes more. Cool shell completely on wire rack.
- Filling directions: Reduce oven temperature to 350º. In a large bowl, whisk cheese until smooth. Add egg yolks, sugar, orange flower water and lemon zest; whisk together to combine.
- Spread filling into cooled tart shell; bake, rotating once halfway through, until just set in center and a cake tester inserted in center of tart comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Arrange strawberries in concentric circles atop tart; dust edge of crust with confectioners sugar. Remove tart from pan.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
These are stunning. I am learning to like strawberries (we never had them growing up) but how could I not love them with these beautiful little tarts. I totally dig the mini tart pans too, I think its cute to give everyone their own.
This looks amazing! I wish I could bake, mine would not look like that! It is nice to meet you, visiting from your mom"s blog!
Lora, these are incredible! It's just now strawberry picking season in northern Australia where we live and I can't wait to try these tarts. I hope mine are half as pretty.
These are enchanting Lora! Love the flavor combo and they look magical. I just went berry picking for the last of our June season so have 3 quarts to figure out something for quickly. May give this a whirl! Hope you are well!
for a years now, every summer with the fresh arrival of strawberries i always say i'm going to make a tart with ricotta, and still i have not. sad right?
i mean i've made everything with strawberries BUT a ricotta tart and yet they pair so well
I love the beautiful bounty of summer berries - I'm the same with easpberries and blackberries as you are with strawberries, although I love strawberries too. I These tarts are gorgeous, Lora. I would really love to try the Pudding di Riso with a strawberry sauce too!