Italian · Authentic-ish Italian
Crostata di Ricotta
263 kcal a serving, against 410 for the traditional version. That is 147 kcal off, or 36%, with 11.3g of protein. Serves 10. 90 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A thick, rich shortcrust pastry base, filled with a massive quantity of full-fat ricotta, whole eggs and sugar. Often scented with lemon or vanilla.
What changed, and what each change costs
300g of plain flour and 150g of butter down to 200g of flour and 80g of butter
The traditional crust is incredibly thick. Trimming the flour and butter cuts a massive amount of fat and starch, making the pastry a vessel rather than the main event.
What it costs you. With less fat, the pastry is much less forgiving. It'll crack when you roll it, and you'll almost certainly have to patch it in the tin with your fingers. It takes patience to get it looking neat.
500g of standard ricotta for 400g of part-skimmed ricotta and 200g of quark
Quark is practically pure protein and has almost zero fat. Mixing it with a lighter ricotta keeps the volume high but drastically changes the maths on the plate.
What it costs you. Quark has a slight acidity that traditional ricotta lacks entirely. I use a bit of lemon juice to lean into that tang, but it means the final tart is definitely sharper than the original. I actually prefer it, but purists might notice.
150g of whole egg down to 50g of whole egg and 100g of egg whites
Egg whites set the filling beautifully and add pure protein without the fat of the yolks.
What it costs you. You lose the deep, rich golden colour that whole yolks provide to the custard. The filling looks a bit paler when it comes out of the oven, and the texture is slightly fluffier rather than dense.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 410 | 263 |
| Protein | 8.9g | 11.3g |
| Fat | 19g | 10.3g |
| Saturated fat | 11.3g | 6.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 51.7g | 31.3g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2.2g | 4.3g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Italian prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, milk, eggs.
The method is in the book
You end up with a sharper, lighter tart. The version that's exactly like a Roman bakery window is still out there and still better. The crust is crisp, the filling is incredibly airy, and the tang from the quark works perfectly with the lemon. You get a massive slice for a fraction of the cost to your waistline.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Italian, along with 59 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.