The Basic Art of Italian Cooking kitchen here in Italy was busy with many recipes today, although still hot, hot, hot and no desire to use an oven or a stove but preparing for some end of summer picnics to take advantage of the summer-like weather that will be ending soon (I think).
Of all the recipes we worked on my favorite is a sort of cheesecake made with fresh ricotta, my favorite part of making the cheesecake was taking a walk to the local place in town where they produce the fresh ricotta. Here it is:
Ricotta Raisin Cheesecake
1 1/4 lbs (fresh, if possible) ricotta
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
6 eggs
1/4 cup raisins
peel and juice of one fresh lemon
1 tsp of orange flower water
a pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
Place raisins in a small bowl of warm water for 15 minutes. Place ricotta in a bowl with sugar, blend with wooden spoon until you it is a smooth creamy mixture, add in egg yolks. Sift 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and add into ricotta cream. Blend, then and add in orange flower water and juice and peel of lemon. Blend.
Beat egg whites till firm with pinch of salt. Add to ricotta mixture blending in with wooden spoon. Drain raisins, dry with paper towel and dust with remaining flour. Add into ricotta cream. Blend in with wooden spoon.
Line a pie pan with baking paper. Place in batter, even out batter with wooden spoon. Cook in oven preheated to 360 degrees for 55 minutes or until top is golden in color.
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Mangia Bene, Viv Bene,
Maria
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