Tangy cherry preserves bring balance to this ancient ricotta tart

This image released by Milk Street shows a recipe for... — This image released by Milk Street shows a recipe for ricotta and cherry jam tarts. Credit: AP/Joe Murphy

By Christopher Kimball’s Milk StreetMay 27, 2025

At Armando al Pantheon, a trattoria in Rome, meals often are punctuated with a slice of torta antica roma— a rustic tart inspired by the traditional Roman combination of ricotta and cherries.

It’s exceptionally light, with milky-sweet ricotta balanced by tangy, brightly hued fruit preserves. The base is a tender, buttery, almost cake-like crust, and the topping is a crumby mixture of the same composition. Sandwiched between is a layer of jam on a bed of ricotta dotted with poppy and sesame seeds.

In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street Backroads Italy,” we devised a dough that gets flavor and texture from almonds that are ground in the food processor, plus a small measure of semolina (or cornmeal). Lemon zest brings brightness, and baking powder adds a little lift and lightness.

Sour cherry jam, with its balance of sweet and sour, is best in this tart; some brands might specify Morello cherries on the label. If sour cherry jam is not available, good-quality strawberry jam is a better option than sweet cherry jam.

Don’t use part-skim ricotta, as it lacks richness and has a grainy texture. Also, after making the crust mixture and transferring half to the pan, be sure to refrigerate the remainder, which will become the crumb topping.If it’s kept at room temperature, it won’t hold its shape during baking and will melt into the filling.

Lastly, don’t spread the ricotta and jam layers all the way to the edges or the filling will caramelize against and stick to the pan, making it tricky to remove the tart for serving. Covered tightly, leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days; bring to room temperature before serving.

Start to finish: 2 hours (50 minutes active), plus cooling