Serves 8

Baby pineapples are still in season so now is a good time to make use of them. This is a good robust pie - caramelising the pineapple first gives
it a fantastic flavour. It doesn’t need much in the way of accompaniment, other than pouring cream.

500g sweet pastry
1 baby pineapple, peeled and finely sliced
50g unsalted butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
500g tub ricotta cheese
250g caster sugar
3 free-range eggs, lightly whisked
Icing sugar to dust

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.
2 Roll out the pastry and use it to line a 20cm wide, 3-4cm deep flan dish. Line the pastry with baking parchment and then cover with beans or rice. Bake
for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and the rice. Bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Reduce the heat of the oven to 140C/Gas 2.
3 Remove the eyes from the pineapple slices with the end of a potato peeler. Heat the butter in a heavy frying pan. Add the sugar, allow to caramelise and then add the pineapple. Cook for a few minutes, then turn the pineapple slices over and cook them for a few minutes more until they are nicely coloured. Remove the pineapple from the pan and allow to cool.
4 Place the ricotta and sugar in a medium-sized bowl, beat together, then mix in the eggs. Pour into the prepared pastry case. Arrange the pineapple over the top of the mixture.
5 Place the pie in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until lightly set. Turn off the oven and leave the pie to cool in the oven for 1 hour.
6 Dust the top of the pie with icing sugar and serve with pouring cream.

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