Recipe: Torta Di Ricotta (cheesecake using ricotta cheese)

TORTA DI RICOTTA
Source: Good Housekeeping Desserts
Servings: 16

This Torta di Ricotta is one of the great classic dishes of Italy. Begin early in day or day ahead to make this recipe.

PASTRY:
2 cups all purpose white flour
3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons dry Marsala wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
FILLING:
1 (32-ounce) container ricotta cheese (about 4 cups)
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
2 medium-sized oranges, grated peel of
2 medium-sized lemons, grated peel of
Confectioners' sugar
Orange twists for garnish

First prepare pastry dough: In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat flour, margarine or butter, sugar, Marsala, salt, and egg yolks just until mixed. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Into 10 inch by 2 1/2 inch springform pan, press three-fourths of dough onto bottom and up side of pan to within 3/4 inch of top; keep remaining dough refrigerated.

Bake crust 15 minutes or until golden; cool in pan on wire rack.

While crust is cooling, prepare filling: Into large bowl, press ricotta through fine sieve. With mixer at medium speed, beat ricotta just until smooth; slowly beat in sugar, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula. Add heavy or whipping cream, flour, vanilla extract, salt, eggs, orange and lemon peel; beat until well blended, occasionally scraping bowl. Pour cheese mixture into crust.

On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll out remaining dough into 10 inch by 5 inch rectangle. Cut dough lengthwise into ten 1/2 inch wide strips. Place 5 dough strips about 1 inch apart across filling. Arrange remaining strips at right angles to make a lattice. Trim ends of strips even with crust.

Bake cheesecake 1 1/4 hours.

Turn off oven; let cheesecake remain in oven 1 hour. Remove cheesecake from oven; cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until well chilled.

When cheesecake is firm, with spatula, loosen pan side from cheesecake and remove; loosen cake from pan bottom; slide onto plate. Sprinkle cheesecake with confectioners' sugar. Arrange orange twists around cake.