Italian Cheesecake

 

Crust:

14 almond toast cookies or graham crackers

6 Tbsp butter, melted

2 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp ground almonds or hazelnuts

 

Cheesecake:

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 packages cream cheese 8 oz each

1 cup sugar

5 eggs, separated

2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt

Zest of one lemon

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

 

Cherry Topping:

3 cups fresh cherries, pitted

½ cup sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

½ cup orange juice

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Spray a 9” spring form pan with non-stick vegetable cooking spray.

 

Prepare crust:   Crush cookies or graham crackers into small crumbs, by hand or use a food processor.  Press into pan, use bottom of a glass to press into edges of pan, and refrigerate until needed. 

 

Sift dry ingredients together and set aside.  Beat both cheeses together.  Beat in sugar, add egg yolks one at a time beating each, and then add dry ingredients, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat until well blended. 

 

Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form.  Fold into cream cheese and ricotta mixture. 

Pour into prepared crust.   Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 ½ hours.   Allow cake to cool in oven with door open for about 30 minutes and center is set.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours prior to serving. 

 

Meanwhile, prepare the cherry topping.  Separate the cherries into two bowls, about 1 ½ cups each.   Slice each cherry in one of the bowls in half.  Set aside.

Mash the other bowl of cherries in a medium saucepan.  Stir in cornstarch, sugar and orange juice.  Cook on low to medium heat for 5 minutes, continuously stirring and continue mashing if needed.  Strain any large pieces of cherry peel, if needed.  Cool slightly.  Remove side of pan and spread topping.  Arrange cheery halves over cake in a decorative manner.  Chill for about 1 hour more prior to serving.  Another nice topping is melted chocolate drizzled over the cheesecake.  Enjoy!