A tradition at Easter time but delicious enjoyed any time of year, my Mom’s Sicilian Ricotta Pie recipe is an authentic tried and true recipe.
Mom’s Sicilian Ricotta Pie is one of those recipes that brings me back to my childhood! This sweet ricotta dessert has a creamy ricotta filling flavored with lemon zest and a hint of cinnamon all tucked inside a sweet pie dough that has more of a buttery cookie texture than flaky pie dough. All together combined to make this satisfying dessert that for me is more comforting than apple pie!
Italian ricotta pie is usually associated with Easter, however this is a dessert that my mother makes at any time of the year.
But if you’re looking for recipes with ricotta cheese filling that are popular around Easter time I’ve got lots of them including pastiera, sweet ricotta Easter calzone that was a staple in my husband’s home. Or for a delicious savory treat check out my pizza rustica! 
In fact, I love everything and anything made with ricotta whether sweet or savory so I dedicated a whole recipe category to this ingredient here!
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. You’ll find the complete detailed printable recipe at the end of this post.
Step by Step Instructions:
Prepare the crust: I use a food processor to make the dough for the crust in no time. Combine flour, sugar baking powder and a pinch of salt in the bowl of your food processor. Add cold cubed butter and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles a course meal.
Add the eggs and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. Blend until the dough wraps itself around the blade. If necessary, add a tsp of cold water at a time until it shapes itself into a ball.
Meanwhile prepare the ricotta filling by simply combining all the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
To assemble: remove the dough from the fridge. Cut off a piece of about 2/3 of the dough and roll into a circle 1/4 inch thick.
Wrap the dough around the rolling pin and carefully transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Slide a knife around the edge of the pie plate to cut off any excess dough. Combine this dough with the remaining 1/3 of the dough.
Fill with the ricotta mixture. Then roll out the remaining dough and cover the filling. Crimp the edges of the dough, as desired. Dust lightly with cinnamon.
Bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes, until golden. Let cool completely before serving.
Can the pie crust be made without a food processor?
Definitely. I have often made pie crust with just a bowl and my hands! Place all dry ingredients for the crust in a large bowl. Add the cubed cold butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to crumble the butter with the flour until it resembles a course meal. Make a well in the center and pour in the beaten eggs. Use a wooden spoon to stir all ingredients together and begin to shape the mixture into a dough. Add a tsp of cold water at a time, if necessary, to get the dough to hold together. Shape into a disc, wrap and refrigerate.
Expert Tips and Tricks:
- My mother’s original recipe calls for vegetable shortening, however I chose to substitute with butter for this recipe.
- Be sure to chill your dough for up to an hour before rolling. If the dough is difficult to handle and breaks apart when you are trying to roll it, place it back in the refrigerator for another 15 minutes.
- If the brand of ricotta you are using is very watery, be sure to drain it several hours before adding it to your filling.
- The filling for this pie is easily combined by hand with a whisk. However, if you prefer a smoother consistency to your filling, blend with a handheld mixer or in your food processor.
- Ricotta pie is ideal made a day in advance before serving. It is at it’s best when served completely chilled.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 4 days.
I hope you enjoy this pie as much as I do. If you try it out this recipe let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below. Free to Pin it for later! Buon appetito!
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 6 tbsp. unsalted butter or vegetable shortening
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
For the filling
- 1 1/2 lbs ricotta drained if very liquidy
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- grated zest of 1/2 lemon
- pinch cinnamon plus more for sprinkling on
Instructions
Prepare the crust:
- In the bowl of the food processor combine the flour, sugar and baking powder. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a course meal.
- Add the eggs and mix on low speed until the eggs are incorporated. If necessary, add 1 tsp of cold water at a time until the dough wraps itself around the blade into a ball.
- Transfer the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Press into a disc shape, wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
- Alternately, if making the dough by hand, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or use your fingers to mix the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Make a well in the center and add the eggs. Stir together, adding a tsp of cold water at a time as needed, then shape into a disc.
Prepare the ricotta filling:
- Place all filling in a large bowl and using a wooden spoon stir until well combined.
To assemble and bake
- Preheat oven to 350F and have a 9-inch pie plate ready.
- Cut off 2/3 of the dough and reserve the remaining 1/3 for the top. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a 1/4 inch thickness. Dust your dough and work surface with more flour if it sticky. Carefully wrap the sheet of dough around the rolling pin and transfer the dough onto the pie plate.
- Pour in the ricotta mixture, then roll out the remaining piece of dough and place on the filling. Crimp the edges as desired.
- Dust lightly with cinnamon and bake for 45-55 minutes until golden. Cool completely before serving.
Notes
- My mother's original recipe was made with vegetable shortening, however chose to substitute with butter for this recipe.
- Be sure to chill your dough for up to an hour before rolling. If the dough is difficult to handle and breaks apart when you are trying to roll it, place it back in the refrigerator for another 15 minutes.
- If the brand of ricotta you are using is very watery, be sure to drain it several hours before adding it to your filling.
- The filling for this pie is easily combined by hand with a whisk. However, if you prefer a smoother consistency to your filling, blend with a handheld mixer or in your food processor.
- Ricotta pie is ideal made a day in advance before serving. It is at it's best when served completely chilled.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact portion size.
Just made this amazing pie, thanks Nadia!
Thanks Angie, so glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for sharing your mom’s recipe. Delicious! My family really loved it.
Thank you Rosemary I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my mom’s recipe!
This is by far the best ricotta pie I have ever made. It is so delicious with just the right amount of sweetness and the crust is perfect. I had a little trouble getting the top crust on so I just cut strips and made a criss-cross design and it worked perfectly. Thank you so much for this recipe. I cannot wait to make it again. I sent some of it to my son’s workplace and they raved about it….cannot wait to try some of your other recipes.
Hi Loretta, I’m thrilled to hear this! My mom’s ricotta has always been my favorite as well and I agree when you say it is not too sweet. I like your idea of the lattice crust, I’m sure it turned out quite pretty. Thanks for sharing with me!
Can this be made without a top crust? What adjustments would have to be made? Baking time?
Hello Linda, although I have seen several versions made without a top crust I have not tried this myself. However, I do believe it would bake well even without a top crust until the ricotta is firm. Even if it is still a bit jiggly in the center, the ricotta will be more firm when it cools. Hope this helps!
Made this for Easter and it was really good! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Jeff, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! This pie has been a lifelong favorite of mine!
I made last night. The taste is great. The texture is a bit grainy.Is that usual.?
Hi Neila, the texture may definitely vary according to the type of ricotta you use. Some varieties are grainier than others. If you prefer a texture that it less grainy you may whisk it until it is more smooth or try experimenting with different brands of ricotta. Thanks for your question!
Sorry, my previous comment was incorrect! I have a 32 oz container of ricotta, so how much do I use…. 3/4 of the container?
Hello Jeff, yes it is exact that since 1.5 lbs is 24 ounces. Hope you enjoy it!
Hi! Wanted to know if you could use store bought ready made pie crusts, if you are short of time.
Hello Raj, you most definitely can! Just defrost, if frozen of course, and roll them out. Hope you enjoy!
I am so excited to have found your blog. I love cooking and I love Italian food. I had ricotta pie for the first time a few years ago in Boston and have been looking for a recipe ever since. I live on the West Coast and recently found a great Italian bakery but they didn’t have the ricotta pie. I messaged my Italian aunt, she didn’t have a recipe. Im so excited to try this, and other delicious recipes.
I actually found you from the Pistachio Amaretti – so good!!
Hi Laurel, ricotta pie has always been one of my favorite desserts. I do hope you give it a try, let me know how it turns out. Glad to hear you enjoy the pistachio amaretti! Thanks!
I made this for Easter tomorrow. It was easy to make and looks delicious. Thanks for sharing your Mother’s recipe. Nadia.
Thank you Pat I hope you enjoyed it!
It was delicious! We all loved it.
The pie came out wonderful does it need to be refrigerated
Hi Valerie, so glad you enjoyed it! Yes, it does need to be refrigerated because of the ricotta. Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Hello! I just made this last night. It tastes great but the filling turned out kind of spongey/eggy? I didn’t drain my ricotta because it wasn’t liquidy, it was thick, but could this have caused that effect?
Hi KG so glad to hear you enjoyed it! Hard to tell regarding the filling texture. I don’t usually drain my ricotta either but I know that different brands of ricotta can vary in texture. I would perhaps try draining it next time. Hope this helps!
Hi.
Making this for Christmas. My Nonna made this every year. Two things she did to keep pie from being watery. First she drained ricotta over night in a cheese cloth and second she sprinkle a layer of sponge cake on the top of the bottom pie crust making sure to pat down before pouring ricotta mixture
This is accordong to my mother. I havent tried the spong cake yet but will be trying this year.
Hi Ruth, I agree it’s best to drain the ricotta if it is too watery. I’ve noticed that the brand that I purchase here in Montreal is already quite dry so I don’t need to drain it. I’ve never seen the technique of adding a layer of sponge cake on the bottom of the crust. I’m intrigued, sounds good! Hope your pie turns out delicious!
Yes, I’ve been successful, but I added 3ounces of heavy whipping cream and blue berries. Delish.
That sounds great, I like it when people personalize my recipes to suit their taste. Enjoy!
Hi Nadia
My parents were Italian sadly both passed away now,
My mother Maria was a fantastic cook and made this pie together with lots of other pies on special occasions Easter, Christmas, the ricotta pie and the chard pie and numerous others were my favourite
My only regret was not watching my mum make these pies and studying how to make them!! I just ate them.
So this Easter I decided I wanted to make the ricotta pie I longed to have that same taste back like my mum would make, after searching online for the recipe I came across yours, so bought all the ingredients and made it the only thing I did not put in was the cinnamon and I added more lemon zest, mum didn’t put in cinnamon and I’m not a lover of it but made it exactly to your recipe but did a lattice topping of pastry instead of a full cover,
Well my god it was amazing my quests had a slice each and I eat the rest over the next few days I love this when its cold from the fridge. I have bookmarked this recipe for lots of future use its just like my mums recipe I love it
So thankyou
Antonia x
Hi Antonia, I realize how important it is to preserve these recipes before they are gone and that is my main goal. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the ricotta pie and that you were able to personalize it according to your taste. I can just imagine how pretty it turned out with a lattice topping! My mother never made it that way but now I’m tempted to try it out next time I made it. Thanks for your lovely comment!
Hi. I had an opportunity today to make this ricotta pie. Although the pie crust was easy to make in the food processor and came out perfectly, it was extremely difficult to handle when attempting to place it in the pie dish. As it was somewhat, almost, moist like and sticky. I did however use a lot of flour as suggested but it didn’t seem to make a difference. So I had to improvise and roll out a smaller size disc like shape, place in the bottom of the pie dish, then press outward and up the sides of the dish. As if I were spreading pizza dough in a pan. Also I baked for 55 minutes as suggested in the recipe but it came out browner than it should have. I did however check it sooner but the inside had not finished cooking so I had to keep it in the oven. I don’t know how it tastes because I’m not serving it until tomorrow which is Easter Sunday. I consider myself an experienced baker so when I struggle with a recipe or it doesn’t come out exactly as it should, I feel somewhat inadequate. Well, I will have to cross my fingers and hope for the best. Thank you.
Hi Rhonda, I’m sorry to hear that you had difficulty with the recipe. In general, if the dough is difficult to roll it might be best to keep it refrigerated a bit longer. But it sure sounds like you were quite resourceful in getting it to work! Regarding the oven, unfortunately all ovens are different so sometimes the baking time may vary a bit. I sure hope the taste was good when you served it! I do appreciate your comments Rhonda.
I had the exact same issue with the crust and I chilled it for two hours; it was hares to work with than regular pie crust and I used extra flour on my board and rolling pin. I managed to get the bottom crust plated with a few patch spots and I was fully anticipating I’d have to do strips for the top which I wasn’t happy about when I decided to try rolling it between two sheets of Saran Wrap which worked like a charm for me – the top rolled out perfectly and it’s in the oven now. Otherwise it was a very simple recipe to make and that is what attracted me to this recipe. I’ve made variations on this traditional Easter dessert for over 40 years but I wanted something simpler this year and I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks for sharing your tips Angela and hope you enjoyed it!
Our family makes this, but we don’t use lemon zest. It’s my favorite pie. My Grandfather (Nonna) was from a little town near Naples.
Hi Connie, it’s my favorite pie as well! My family is from Sicily but there are so many variations of this recipe depending on which part of Italy you’re from. Thanks for your comment!
Nice and easy, actually typically traditional Ricotta Cheese Cake in most of my Italian cookbooks. I have been making this exact one for years except I use a Zweiback crumb crust and bake it in a spring form pan. You mention ‘cudurro’ for children … I don’t know what that is. Do you have it in one of your past blogs? I would love to have a look-see.
As always, many thanks for sharing wonders from your kitchen!
Hi Anna, the cuddura is the Easter bread my mom makes each year. It’s a basic bread dough recipe, the dough is braided and eggs are nestled in to bake with it. This is our Easter tradition. It’s on the blog, you could search under Sicilian Easter Cuddura. Thanks again!
Oh for goodness sake, silly me … I remember seeing it a while ago and even commented on it. The name is not one familiar to me. I don’t ever remember it being named at all. Just “Easter Braid” is what I remember. At any rate, I have your recipe saved safely in my New York Times Recipe Box, to which I can add recipes I want to keep from anywhere on the web. Thanks again.
No worries Anna! Some people call it “pupa cu l’ova”but I think that may be a sweet version of it. You’re welcome!
It is amazing the different versions of this Italian Cheese Pie. I have not tried this version yet. This looks much different than my mom’s. My mom used to put a little orange zest and vanilla in the crust. And she used to put a little lemon zest and lemon juice in the filling – no cinnamon on top. She used to lattice the top. I have a friend that uses rice in her filling, which I do not care for – I think a different part of Italy, but I thought she was Sicilian.
Hi Marie, yes there are definitely several versions of ricotta pie and quite honestly I love them all! The version with rice is called Pastiera and is typical of Naples. I have a crustless version of it on my blog which I enjoy cause it’s so easy to make! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Can this be frozen?
Hi Joan, I have never frozen it as it usually doesn’t last that long at my house! However, my mother has often frozen this pie. Take it out the day before and defrost in your fridge. If the crust is a bit too soft, place it in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes so it become more crisp. Then let cool before serving. Hope this helps and thanks for stopping by my blog!
You said you make it without the crust. I have Celiac disease and cannot have gluten. Your crustless piemay work for me.
Carman.
Hi, the crustless version I refer to in my post is the pastiera which is made with rice. You can click on the link for that recipe directly from the ricotta pie post that you read. Or you can write pastiera in the search bar on the right hand side of my blog. Hope this helps and thanks for stopping by my blog!
Do you have another no crust Ricotta pie recipe? Love your recipes. Thanks
Hello Angel, the no crust version that I refer to in this post is called pastiera and has rice in it as well. You can click on the link for this recipe directly in my blog post where you read about it, or you can write pastiera in the search bar on the right side of my blog. Thanks for your comment!
Everything looks so positively yummy
Thank you Donnamarie, glad you stopped by my blog !
Looks wonderful
Thank you Joann, I appreciate the feedback!
Hi Nadia, I am definitely going to try this!! Crazy for ricotta – but I’m fascinated by how much it resembles this “blintz ricotta cake” I stumbled upon – though your pastry looks like an actual pastry. Amazing how different cultures come u with similar things. Anyhow – looking forward to this! https://kitchenbliss.ca/lemon-ricotta-blintz-cheesecake
Hi Diane, I’m also totally crazy about ricotta! Yes it is an actual pastry dough as well. I agree, different cultures have similar versions of recipes but may differ in the use of flavorings or spices. It’s wonderful to discover new recipes!
Ciao Nadia , I made your mom‘s Easter pie last night. I was a little nervous because I’m not a big baker. 🙂 I didn’t do the original dough that your mom made. I used the store bought that you roll out for the pie crusts. It still came out delicious, out of this world taste and texture I crave from the ricotta but I think next time I’m going try to follow your mother‘s recipe for the dough to see the difference although mine did have the cookie crust you speak of. I am Sicilian, born and raised in America. My family is from Palermo, so I can cook really really great but baking has never really been my thing your recipes have inspired me further to reach for the stars or should I say, dough ! Lol 😉thanks so much. I love everything you post. God bless. 🙏🏼❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Ciao Paola, so glad you gave it a try! I assure you I am no expert when it comes to pastry dough but I managed to recreate my mom’s pie recipe! Do let me know how it turns out if you try. And thank you for your lovely comment!