Creamy Ricotta Cheesecake
We love the flavor of ricotta in a cheesecake, but not the grainy texture. Pressing excess liquid from the cheese and smoothing out its texture in a food processor helped produce this delicious fluffy-textured dessert.
30 to 32 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes and warmed to room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 large egg and 2 egg yolks at room temperature
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of salt
powdered sugar (for dusting)
Equipment: Large strainer
Cheesecloth
Large food processor
8″ square glass or ceramic baking pan
Natural gas oven
Makes 9 to 12 servings
Set a large fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and line with a triple layer of cheesecloth. Place the ricotta into the lined strainer, fold over the ends of the cheesecloth, top with a small plate, and place a heavy can on the plate. Let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator for two days.
On baking day place the drained ricotta in a bowl and let it come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease the baking pan with the softened butter. Mix together the tablespoon of sugar and the breadcrumbs and coat the bottom and sides of the pan with this mixture. Tap out any excess.
Place the ricotta in the container of the food processor, process for 15 seconds, scrape down the sides of the container, and repeat until the cheese is smooth. Add the cream cheese and process until the mixture is well combined. Add the remaining ingredients and process, scraping the sides as needed, until the mixture is smooth. This will take about 30 seconds.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake until golden brown and set, about 75 minutes. Remove from the oven to a rack and let cool in the pan until the pan is no longer warm. Cool in the refrigerator uncovered for about 3 hours, then cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
To serve, slice into 9 or 12 pieces and dust each serving with powdered sugar if desired.