Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie (using cottage cheese, food processor)

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE PIE

FOR THE CRUST:
12 (2 1/2-inch) graham cracker squares
1/3 cup Grape Nuts cereal
2 tbsp. white granulated sugar
1 tbsp. hazelnut, walnut or canola oil
1 tsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 large egg white
1 to 2 tsp fruit juice or water, or as needed

FOR THE FILLING:
1 1/2 cups non fat cottage cheese
1/3 cup (2 3/4 oz) low fat cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp. nonfat vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup white granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. unsifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Scant 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Generous pinch of salt

Position rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

TO PREPARE THE CRUST:
Crumble the graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor and process until crumbs form. Add the Grape Nuts cereal, 2 tablespoons sugar, oil, melted butter, egg white and 1 tsp fruit juice or water. Pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Pinch a spoonful of crumbs together, and test to see if they are moist enough to hold the print of your finger. If necessary, add a few more drops of juice or water and pulse once or twice. Set aside.

Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Set aside.

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Place the cottage cheese in a strainer set over a bowl. Cover the cheese with a piece of plastic wrap and press down firmly on the cheese to force out as much liquid as possible, making relatively dry curds. Transfer the cottage cheese to the food processor and process for 2 full minutes or until absolutely smooth, with a trace of graininess.

Add the cream cheese, yogurt, 1/3 cup sugar, flour and vanilla. Process until smooth. Remove 1/3 cup of this mixture and set it aside for marbleizing the top of the pie.

Add the egg whites, pumpkin, brown sugar, spices and salt to the processor. Pulse until thoroughly blended. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared crust, taking care not to dislodge the crumbs.

To make the marbleized design, spoon 5 separate pools of the reserved cream cheese batter on the top of the pie. Draw the tip of the knife through the contrasting batters in a swirling pattern.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is set and no longer sticky to the touch. Cool the pie on a wire rack.

Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Makes one 9-inch pie, serves 10
Source: Have Your Cake and Eat it, Too by Susan Purdy, 1993