David Rocco's Torta Di Ricotta

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 17 ounces ricotta cheese (475g)
• 3 tablespoons sugar (45ml)
• 1 cup 35% cream (240ml)
• 3 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (45ml)
• 1 (8 inch) pie crusts
• 3 pears, peeled, halved and cored
• 3 cups water (710ml)
• 3 tablespoons apricot jam (45ml)

Recipe

• 1 refrigerate ricotta cheese in a strainer over night so that excess moisture is removed. in a mixing bowl, blend ricotta cheese and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar with a hand mixer until it becomes a velvety consistency. in a separate bowl, whip 35% whipping cream with 1/2 tablespoon of sugar. gently fold whipped cream into ricotta mixture along with bittersweet chocolate. spread filling into piecrust.
• 2 in a saucepan, heat sugar and 2 cups of water. once the sugar has dissolved, add pears and let cook until soft and caramelized. remove pears from pan and let cool. cut pears into slices and fan the slices on top of the pie filling until the surface of the pie is covered. fill in gaps with extra pieces of pear if necessary.
• 3 in another saucepan, heat remaining water and apricot jelly. stir and cook until jelly is liquefied so that it can be used as a glaze. spread apricot glaze over pears and let pie rest in fridge for 4 hours before serving.