Chocolate and ricotta tart

Sweet Pastry:

Combine flour, salt, icing sugar and butter in a food processor. (If you want to make chocolate pastry, add 30 grams of cocoa.) Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the eggs and whiz until just combined.

Turn the crumbs out on to a clean surface. Using your hands, bring them together into a ball.

Wrap the dough in plastic film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Tart:

Grease a 25cm loose-bottomed flan tin well with butter.

Roll out pastry between two pieces of plastic film to a thickness of about 4mm. Lift the top layer of plastic film off the rolled-out dough and flip the dough over to drape over the tin, using your fingers to push it into the corners and sides. Once the dough is even, peel off the plastic film.Trim off any excess pastry and roll out the offcuts, then, using a pastry cutter or knife, cut six to 10 strips about 2cm wide. Lay the strips on a piece of baking paper or plastic film on a plate and refrigerate along with the pastry case.

Drain any excess moisture from the ricotta and combine with the sugar in a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, add the eggs one at a time. Add the almonds, citrus zest, chocolate and vanilla seeds, mixing with the wooden spoon. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Fill the pastry case with the ricotta mixture, smoothing it with a spoon. Arrange the strips of pastry in a lattice pattern over the top of the filling. Push the edges into the sides of the case so they are joined.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool.

Dust with icing sugar and serve.