Citrus Thyme Ricotta Pie

Sparkling with three kinds of fresh citrus and earthy thyme, this rich ricotta pie has the creamy texture of cheesecake and the buttery base of a flaky pie crust. Based on a classic Italian recipe, our spring-forward version infuses the vanilla ricotta custard with three types of citrus zest and juice for a bright taste of spring. The finished pie is garnished with sugared zest and contrasted by the herbal crunch of sugared thyme. Make sure you reserve the infused simple syrup that is left over after making the sugared garnishes. It’s delicious in lemonade, cocktails or drizzled over pound cake.

Ricotta Pie

All purpose flour

1 pie crust, either packaged or homemade (such as the All Buttah Pie Crust)

1 pound ricotta, drained

1/2 cup sour cream

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon grated citrus zest, such as lemon, orange and grapefruit

1 tablespoon citrus juice, such as lemon, orange and grapefruit

4 eggs, room temperature

Sugared Thyme and Citrus Zest

1 lemon

1 orange

1 grapefruit

1/2 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

12 sprigs fresh thyme

Whipped cream

For the pie:

Preheat oven to 325°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough to a 12-inch circle. Gently place the dough into a pie dish. Form the crust gently into the bottom edges of the dish and crimp the  edges, tucking under any overhang. Place the crust in the refrigerator while making the filling.

Place the ricotta, sour cream and granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and combined. Add the vanilla extract, zest and citrus juice and pulse again. Add eggs, one at a time, pulsing until well combined.

Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and pour the ricotta mixture into the dish. Place in the center of the preheated oven and cook until the edges are set, and the center is still slightly jiggly, about 50-55 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and let cool at room temperature, about 1 hour. Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

For the sugared thyme and citrus zest:

Using a vegetable peeler, remove a 1-inch by 2-inch strip of zest each from the lemon, orange and grapefruit. Thinly slice the zest lengthwise into thin strips. Place the zest in a small saucepan with the water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil then immediately reduce to a low simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally to break up the sugar, for 5 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the thyme sprigs. Let sit for 2 minutes.  Remove the zest and thyme from the syrup (reserve syrup for another use). Place the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Working with a small amount at a time, toss the drained zest and thyme sprigs in the granulated sugar. Shake off any excess and set the sugared zest and thyme on a wire rack to dry.  Let sit until dry and stiff, about 4 hours before using as a garnish.

Serve slices of the pie topped with whipped cream and some of the sugared thyme and citrus zest.