Soffione di Ricotta

Something magical happens when you bake this ricotta dessert from Abruzzo. The filling puffs up gloriously in the oven, practically bursting free from the confines of its pastry casing and creating a lofty golden cake that is part torte and part souffle.

No wonder it’s called soffione, from the word “soffiare” (to blow), named for the transformation that takes place. The name also refers to that bright, sun-colored (but invasive) weed—the dandelion—whose flowers transform