1/2 c olive oil

3 eggs

1 c sugar

3 lemons, zest only

1 lemon, juice only

1 c whole milk ricotta

2 T full fat plain yogurt

1 1/4 c flour

1/2 t salt

1 T baking powder

2 packets Vanillina or 1 t vanilla 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray 10" springform pan with baking spray.

In large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest.  Using electric mixer, beat ingredients until combined.

Add eggs, one at a time and beat until fluffy and pale yellow in color.

Add ricotta and yogurt and beat until combined.

Add flour, salt and baking powder. Beat until dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Do not overmix!

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 35 - 45 minutes until cake is set in the middle and golden brown.

Cool for one hour. Decorate with lemon slices and dust with powdered sugar.

A festive blend of fresh orange zest and dark chocolate chips in a soft, ricotta-based dough. 

2 c flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1 c sugar

1/2 c butter

1 T + 1 t orange zest

1 egg

1 c whole milk ricotta

1 t vanilla

1 c mini chocolate chips

Glaze:  

1 1/4 c powdered sugar

2 1/2 T orange juice

1 t orange zest

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In standing mixer, cream sugar, butter and orange zest. 

Mix in egg and blend in ricotta and vanilla.

Add flour mixture until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Cover and chill 1 - 2 hours. 

Preheat oven 350 degrees. 

Drop cookies onto parchment lined baking sheet, spacing 2" apart.

Bake 13 - 14 minutes until almost set.

Let cool on wire rack for several minutes.

Spoon glaze over cooled cookies.

This is my go-to cookie recipe from my great, great aunt Josephine from Calabria. Her father was a baker in the town she grew up in. These, and her Italian Spice Cookies {made at Christmastime}, are very special to me.

1 c butter, softened

3/4 c sugar

1 T anise extract

1 t lemon extract

3 c flour

3 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

3 eggs

Glaze: 1 c powdered sugar, 1 t anise extract and enough milk to make desired consistency. Colored sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together butter and sugar until creamy.

Stir in anise and lemon extracts.

Beat in eggs.

Measure dry ingredients and add to mixture.

Dough will be mostly crumbly. Pour onto pastry cloth and pull edges together to form a ball. Knead dough until smooth. 

Form dough into 1" balls and place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes.

Cool on wire rack, glaze and top with sprinkles.