Estimate the amount of milk necessary for this dish and sweeten it with honey to taste; to a pint of fluid take 5 eggs; for half a pint dissolve 3 eggs in milk and beat well to incorporate thoroughly, strain through a colander into an earthen dish and cook on a slow fire. When congealed sprinkle with pepper and serve.
—Apicius, De re Coquinaria (Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome), first century c.e
Yield: about 12 servings
CRUST
½ cup (100 grams) sugar
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks / 169 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks
1 ½ cups (200 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
FILLING
2 ½ cups (560 grams) whole milk ricotta
4 large eggs, separated
¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup (130 grams) fresh, frozen, or dried cherries (defrosted and drained if using frozen)
½ cup (170 grams) dark chocolate broken into small pieces or chocolate chips
½ cup (126 grams) sour cherry preserves
Joan Nathan. Credit: Gabriela Herman
When in Rome, do as the Romans do: Head straight to the tiny nondescript Pasticceria Boccione (also known as the “Burnt Bakery” or the “Jewish bakery”) in the ghetto ebraico (“Jewish Ghetto”) near the Tiber. There, four sisters make the same slightly burnt baked goods until they run out each day. Whether composed of tourists or locals, there is always a line outside.
One of the popular staples is a rich ricotta cake wrapped in a crostata crust, called Cassola, a Christmas must in Rome. According to Clifford Wright, the Jews of Rome learned to make whey cheese in Sicily and brought the technique with them to Rome.
I have added a delicious Italian crostata that I learned from an Italian Jew in place of the heavier crust that Boccione uses. I love the hint of cinnamon with sour cherry jam made from Amaro cherries—or any jam that has a slightly sweet, slightly sour flavor—mixed with the rich ricotta cheese. You can also use chunks of chocolate in place of the jam.
1. For the crust Put the sugar, butter, egg yolks, flour, and salt in a large bowl and either rub everything together with your fingers, or quickly pulse the ingredients in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until the dough forms a ball. Either way, do not overwork the dough. Cover in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a half hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, place the rack in the top third of the oven, and grease a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
3. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough into a 13-inch diameter quasi-circle. Fold the dough gently and press into the pan. Trim and flatten the edges with a knife. You want this to be quite rustic. Prick with a fork and bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside.
4. To make the filling Stir together the ricotta, egg yolks, sugar, flour, lemon zest, vanilla, and cinnamon with a spoon in a medium mixing bowl.
5. In the bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until almost stiff peaks form and fold gently into the ricotta mixture with all the cherries and/or the chocolate.
6. Spread the cherry preserves over the entire crust, then spoon on the ricotta mixture, smoothing over the top with the back of a spoon. Bake in the top third of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the center is set and golden brown; or do as the Romans do, and let it get slightly burnt on the top.
Note: I like mixing the chocolate and the cherries, but if you prefer, use just one or the other.
Excerpted from KING SOLOMON’S TABLE by Joan Nathan. Copyright © 2017 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
