This is a deliciously simple tart to make in early summer, just as the local strawberries are coming into season. If you can’t find good-quality strawberries, you can substitute any of the other wonderful berries available at area farmers’ markets. And if you’ve never made your own ricotta cheese, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. The technique for making the ricotta can be applied to any recipe calling for the cheese, both sweet and savory. (Note: You can substitute store-bought whole milk ricotta; however, the resulting ricotta cream will not be as smooth or dense as homemade.)
Ingredients
For the dough:
8 tablespoons butter, room temperature
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
For the ricotta:
4 cups whole milk*
¼ cup white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
For the ricotta cream:
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey (or more to taste)
For the tart:
2 pounds strawberries
¾ cup apricot jam
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon lemon juice
*Milk cannot be UHT (Ultra-High Pasteurized) in order to make cheese successfully. Most large-scale, organically produced milk in the United States is UHT milk. Check your milk carton to make sure the milk is not “Ultra-Pasteurized” or “UHT” before proceeding to make cheese.
