Torta alla Melagrana (Pomegranate Cake)
 
 
Ingredients
For the Crust
  • 1 ½ c./200 gr. flour
  • 1 T. sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 ½ tsp/8 gr. baking powder (or ½ packet of Pane degli Angeli)
  • 1 T. milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 T./80 g. butter, room temperature
For the Cream (to be added to the ricotta filling)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 ½ T./20 g. sugar
  • 1 T./10 g. cornstarch
  • 1 c. milk
For the Ricotta Filling
  • 1 c./250 g. ricotta
  • 3 T./25 gr. Cornstarch
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ⅓ c. /90 g. sugar
  • grated zest from 1 lemon
  • 4 T./60 g. butter, melted
  • the seeds from 2 pomegranates.
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease an 8 inch pie plate.
To Prepare the Crust
  1. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, a pinch of salt, baking powder, and milk.
  2. Add the 2 eggs, one at a time, mixing well for 1-2 minutes until a ball forms and the ingredients are well mixed.
  3. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to flour mixture. Mix well for 1 minute.
  4. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes. The dough will be soft. Gently push and roll the dough into a circle and place in pie plate.
To prepare the cream (which is added to the Ricotta filling):
  1. Put the yolk and sugar in a small saucepan. Mix well until creamy and yellow.
  2. Add the cornstarch and milk. Mix well, and over low heat, gently bring just to a boil, stirring constantly until thick.
  3. Remove from heat, let the cream cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on the top.
To prepare the Ricotta filling
  1. In another bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, corn starch, egg yolk, sugar, grated lemon zest.
  2. Stir in the butter and mix well.
  3. Add the cream mixture, stirring constantly.
  4. Add the pomegranate seeds.
  5. Gently place the ricotta cream filling in the dough covered pie plate. Crimp or trim the edges to your preference.
  6. Bake 55-65 minutes until very lightly golden and not jiggly.
  7. Cool several hours before serving.
Recipe by Ortensia Blu at https://ortensiablutraveladventures.com/torta-alla-melagrana-pomegranate-cake/