Gloria Luperini of Timonium, Maryland, was looking for a recipe for ricotta pie that she said is popular in the Italian-American community.

She said that she has gathered many recipes for the pie and has tried at least two that have been unsatisfactory. She was hoping a reader would be able to share a tried and true family recipe.

Dee Luckenbill-Cioffi of Redmond, Oregon, shared two recipes for the pie that she said come from her soon-to-be 100-year-old Italian mother-in-law. Luckenbill-Cioffi said that she enjoys both, but her mother-in-law favors what she calls her lemon cheesecake ricotta pie.

Of the two recipes Luckenbill-Cioffi sent me, the lemon one that her mother-in-law favors seemed simple and straightforward and a good one to try.

The crust is made with zwieback crumbs. Zwieback is a type of crisp, sweetened bread made with eggs and baked twice, and it’s often used as a teething biscuit for children. Graham cracker or Nilla wafer crumbs could certainly be substituted.

There are nearly as many versions of Italian-style ricotta pie out there as there are Italian grandmothers, but I thought this one was particularly good. It was rich, creamy and just slightly sweet. Perfect for after dinner or for a breakfast treat the next morning — if there are any leftovers.

Requests

Lynn Chamber of Baltimore is in search of a recipe for making salmon mousse in a mold. She had this at a recent dinner party and loved it. The mousse was a beautiful pink color and had a mild salmon flavor and a lovely smooth texture. She thinks there might have been some olives in it.