These simple, fast, and easy cheese tortas are one of my favorite things to make with ricotta. They’re especially great in the summer, since they make a perfect base for sweet, garden tomatoes and other seasonal produce. You just mix, bake, and top — there’s not much that can go wrong, unless you try to do too much. And too much is almost always too much.
I’ve made this type of crust-less cheese tart (or torta if you want it to sound fancy) countless times, always using a light touch with the ingredients so as not to overpower the fresh, mild cheese, but this time, for whatever reason, I went a little crazy, and added more of too many things, which clearly angered the food Gods. I guess I wanted the version I filmed to not be “boring,” but I forgot that simple is not the same thing as boring.
So, I adjusted the ingredient amounts in the written recipe, and if you follow those instead, I think you’ll really enjoy this very versatile technique. Having said that, I don’t want to scare you away from personal experimentation. You can try different cheese, herbs, and spices, but please, be careful. Anyway, as long as you do as I say, and not as I did, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
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Ingredients
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2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
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12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) ricotta cheese
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1 large egg
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1/4 cup all-purpose flour
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1/4 teaspoon baking powder
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1/2 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (optional)
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1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
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2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
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sea salt, as needed, for sprinkling top
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9- or 10-inch pie dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and set aside.
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Add ricotta, egg, flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to a mixing bowl, and stir thoroughly to combine; spoon into the prepared pie dish, and spread into an even layer.
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Bake in the preheated oven until the torta puffs up a bit, and the cheese firms up, about 20 minutes. A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean.
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Let cool until just warm. Cover the top of the torta with halved cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, and season generously with sea salt. The torta can also be served at room temperature, or cold. The finished torta can also be drizzled with balsamic vinegar, or any vinegar, as well as freshly squeezed lemon.
Chef John
Cook’s Note
For a lighter, gluten-free version, simply omit the all-purpose flour, and add an extra egg.
Other cheese, such as Cheddar, can be added instead of, or in addition to, the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Besides tomatoes, torta can also be topped with grilled summer vegetables, like corn, squash, peppers, or eggplant.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
137 | Calories |
9g | Fat |
7g | Carbs |
8g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
Calories 137 | |
% Daily Value * | |
Total Fat 9g | 11% |
Saturated Fat 3g | 17% |
Cholesterol 40mg | 13% |
Sodium 358mg | 16% |
Total Carbohydrate 7g | 3% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 2% |
Total Sugars 1g | |
Protein 8g | 15% |
Vitamin C 5mg | 6% |
Calcium 171mg | 13% |
Iron 1mg | 4% |
Potassium 168mg | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.