“Toy Box” Tomato Ricotta Cheese Torta

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(3)
3 Reviews
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For this tomato ricotta cheese torta, we use the small colorful tomatoes you’ll find at any farmer’s market in summer. We call these tomatoes “toy box” tomatoes because they come in so many shapes and sizes.

By
John Mitzewich
Chef John
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques.
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Updated on August 28, 2023
3
beautifully baked round ricotta torta topped with halved fresh cherry tomatoes on a gray plate
3
3
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
8
Jump to Nutrition Facts

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! 

More recipes: Try the latest and greatest recipes from Chef John!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) ricotta cheese

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 clove garlic, crushed (optional)

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (optional)

  • 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

  • sea salt, as needed, for sprinkling top

Directions

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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. 

  4. 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.

    beautifully baked round ricotta torta topped with halved fresh cherry tomatoes on a gray plate

    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
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.

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