Italian Ricotta Easter Pie

Impress your friends with this Italian Ricotta Easter Pie. The traditional, savory pie filled with a creamy mixture of lightly sweetened whole milk ricotta cheese, eggs, and seasonings, and baked in a flaky crust is perfect for the Italian Easter celebrations. But this Italian Ricotta cheese pie is good for all occasions and can also be served at any time throughout the year. If you like pies, this might be the recipe for you. Let’s do it!

Why we love 💕this Italian Ricotta Easter Pie

For the moist and creamy Ricotta filling that is so light and nicely combines the sweet and savory flavors
It is a versatile pie. It is not only for Easter, but it can be made and served at home yourself 365 days a year
A slice of the sweet Ricotta Pie feels like a slice of Italy in your mouth!

Pie Pan or Pie Plate?

The terms “pie pan” and “pie plate” are often used interchangeably to refer to the shallow, round dish used for baking pies. Traditionally, a “pie pan” was made of metal, such as aluminum or tin, and had sloping sides that were straight at the bottom and curved at the top. A “pie plate,” on the other hand, was made of ceramic or glass and had fluted sides that were slightly angled.

👩‍🍳What you need to make the Italian Ricotta Easter Pie

A large bowl
9-inch pie pan or pie plate
Stand or hand-held mixer
Rolling pin to make the pie dough
Plastic wrap

Did you know that you can make the Italian Ricotta Easter Pie crustless? You can call it a cake!

🕐How to make this Italian Ricotta Easter Pie

First you need to make the pie dough for the pie crust. Check the recipe with detailed instructions here. In short, use a stand or hand-held mixer to mix flour, salt, and vegetable shortening in a medium-size bowl. When the dough clumps together and can form a ball, you roll it with a rolling pin and transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan
Mix and whisk together the whole milk ricotta, sugar, honey, room temperature eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and cinnamon
Pour the blend into the cold pie shell and smooth the top with a spatula
Bake the pie for 50 minutes, or until the filling is set

What is Ricotta cheese? Learn here

Ricotta Cheese whisked in a bowl — Ricotta in a bowl

Italian Ricotta Easter Pie all ingredients mixed in a bowl — Ingredients mixed

The Italian Ricotta Easter Pie ready to be baked — Ready for the oven

Do you want to learn about Italian desserts and recipes? Check this book

❓FAQs about the Italian Ricotta Easter Pie

Can I make the Italian Ricotta Easter Pie with cheese other than ricotta?

The recipe calls for ricotta cheese filling, but you can make the recipe with cottage cheese. Cottage cheese is similar in texture and flavor to ricotta cheese and can be used as a substitute in this recipe. Simply blend the cottage cheese until smooth and use it in place of the ricotta cheese. Keep in mind that using cottage cheese may result in a slightly different texture and flavor compared to the traditional ricotta cheese.
You can make this Italian Ricotta Easter Pie with cream cheese. Cream cheese is a good substitute for ricotta cheese and will give the pie a tangy flavor and creamy texture.
To use cream cheese in this recipe, simply replace the 15 oz. of whole-milk ricotta cheese with 15 oz. of cream cheese and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written. Keep in mind that using cream cheese may result in a slightly different texture and flavor compared to the traditional ricotta cheese.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

You can make it gluten free if you make the pie crust dough gluten free. For this you have to use an alternative gluten free flour mix that you can substitute on 1:1. However, pie dough is often tricky to make, and you may have to change the recipe, mostly the quantities per ingredient.

Can I make this ricotta pie vegan?

To make this Italian Ricotta Easter Pie recipe vegan, you will have to use an egg substitute in addition to a vegan cheese to replace the ricotta cheese. Although we don’t recommend making such changes because they will completely transform the texture and flavor of this pie, here are a few options:
1. Silken Tofu: You can replace ricotta with silken tofu; when you do, it is paramount to use the same weigh as the ricotta cheese. 15 oz. is 450 grams so this is the amount you should use for the silken tofu.
2. Aquafaba: You can replace eggs with aquafaba. This is the liquid from a can of chickpeas. Whisk 3 tablespoons of aquafaba until it forms stiff peaks and use it to replace 1 egg in the recipe.
Keep in mind that different egg replacers may affect the texture and flavor of the final product, so feel free to experiment with different options to find the one that works best for you.

Check our Aquafaba meringue cookies recipe here –

Can I make this Italian Ricotta Easter Pie crustless?

You can make this Italian Ricotta Easter Pie crustless by omitting the pie crust. If you do so, the recipe will be more of a cake than a pie. To make a crustless version, simply omit the pie crust and pour the filling mixture into a greased 9-inch baking pan. You will have to change the recipe and add flour to the mixture so that it does not fall apart. Bake it until the filling is set and lightly golden on top. Let the “pie” cool before slicing and serving.

How can I store this ricotta pie?

The Italian Ricotta Easter Pie can be put away in the fridge for as long as 4 days. To store the pie, wrap it firmly in a wrap or aluminum foil. For ideal quality, serving the pie at room temperature or marginally warmed in the oven is ideal. To warm the pie, essentially take it out from the cooler and put it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 min, or until warmed through.

History of Italian desserts? Click here

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Check the recipe card below for the entire recipe and the steps to follow