From The Sopranos · 1999-2007 · Reconstructed
Ricotta Pie with Pineapple
Serve when
Serve a thin slice after the main meal, sweet enough to feel neighborly and loaded enough to feel strategic.
Before you start
Bake the pie the day before and chill it. Drain the pineapple thoroughly so the filling stays creamy instead of wet.
Cook-along start: before the episode
In the series
Season 2
- S2E8 · ~00:17:00 Carmela brings a ricotta pie with pineapple while pressing Jean Cusamano's sister for Meadow's Georgetown recommendation
Hosting notes
Ricotta pie wants time to chill, which makes it perfect for a party. Bake it the day before, keep it covered, and cut small slices after the main course.
In the series
The pie is one of Carmela's clearest food-as-pressure moments. It arrives looking like generosity, but the scene makes the ask impossible to miss.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350 F. Fit the crust into a 9 inch pie plate and chill it while you make the filling.
- Beat ricotta and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon, and salt.
- Fold in the drained crushed pineapple.
- Pour into the crust and bake until the edges are set and the center barely jiggles, 45 to 55 minutes.
- Cool completely, then chill at least 4 hours. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Substitutions
- Whole-milk ricotta: Part-skim ricotta works but tastes less rich. Drain it in a fine-mesh sieve for an hour so the pie sets cleanly.
- Crushed pineapple: Use finely diced canned pineapple or skip it for a plain ricotta pie. If using fresh pineapple, cook it briefly with a spoonful of sugar first; raw pineapple can make dairy taste sharp.
- Pie crust: A graham cracker crust is less traditional but easy and friendly. It will make the dessert read more cheesecake-like.
- Lemon zest: Orange zest is warmer and also works well with ricotta.
Beyond the recipe
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