Ricotta Pie

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl stir together ricotta and eggs until smooth and soft. Set aside the filling.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and sugar in a medium mix bowl. Mix well.
4. Cut the butter with a pastry blender until it turns into crumbs.
5. Mix it lightly with the beaten eggs. Pour in the vanilla extract until well combined.
6. Divide the dough in half. Wrap it up tightly in plastic. Refrigerate it to cool, for at least 30 to 40 minutes.
7. Now roll out the dough. And fit it into a greased pie plate. Make sure that the dough is not too thick as it will expand due to the baking powder and eggs.
8. Pour the ricotta filling into the pie pan. Shield the pie with a foil and place it in the oven.
9. Bake the pie for 30 to 45 minutes until the crust is golden.
10. Once the crust is cooked, cool the pie in the refrigerator.
11. Garnish the pie with whipped cream and lemon zest.
12. Serve cool and enjoy!

Trivia

• There is a world famous pie contest – World Pie Eating Championship - which has been taking place at the Harry’s Bar in Wigan since 1992.
• There is a Strange Pie Contest that takes place annually in California and it is popular for making strange pies.
• In 1644, Oliver Cromwell banned pie as according to him it was a “pagan form of pleasure”.

In the 16^th century England, the rich used to put live animal in their pies. The animals would spring out when the pie was cut open.