Lidia's Italian Cheesecake

Lidia Bastianich has a new book out, Lidia's Italy in America. Some of you may know that I am a huge fan of Lidia's but more importantly enjoy cooking Italian foods. They truly are my favorites and most of her other books take you to different regions of Italy and are authentic Italian cooking. This book is somewhat different in that she takes you to different areas of our own country and shares some of the Americanized Italian recipes. She also has new programing if you are interested, on the PBS channel with this new book. Lidia's program as I have often mentioned here is more than the same ole same ole foodie program. Watch it you would love it.

My first recipe that I prepared from this book was her Italian cheesecake. I prepared it as my dessert for Christmas and no one was disappointed. I have a fabulous recipe that I have made for years but I really do like this recipe and it may very well become my new favorite.

LIDIA'S ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup amaretto cookie crumbs (from about 4 or 5 amaretti)
1/2 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons dark rum
5 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups drained fresh ricotta, at room temperature
1 cup mascarpone, at room temperature
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush an 8-inch springform pan with butter on the bottom and sides. Coat the bottom and sides with amaretto crumbs, tapping out the excess. Put the raisins in a small bowl, and pour the rum over them. Let soak while you make the filling.

Beat the eggs, sugar, and salt in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed until it is foamy and the sugar has dissolved and no longer feels grainy, about 2 minutes. Plop in the ricotta, mascarpone, and citrus zests. Strain into the batter the rum in which the raisins soaked, and mix on medium until smooth and fluffy, about another 2 minutes. Now fold in the raisins and pine nuts with a spatula.

Put the spring form pan on a baking sheet, and pour the batter into the pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake until the edges are set and light golden, but the center is still a bit jiggly, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before removing from pan and serving.

I did line my sheet pan with aluminum foil and also placed foil around the bottom of the springform pan. I did not add in the raisins either or the pine nuts. I did not think my husband would have eaten it if I had but I did of course, add in the dark rum which is a MUST.

It comes out just a beautiful golden color and ever so slightly jiggly in the center. I always keep a thermometer in my oven to make sure my temperature is accurate and it was.

I also made Ina Garten's Triple Raspberry Sauce since I had found some beautiful raspberries just before Christmas.

Ina Garten's Triple Raspberry Sauce

1 half-pint package fresh raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup (12 ounces) seedless raspberry jam
1 tablespoon Framboise liqueur

Place the package of raspberries, granulated sugar, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, jam, and Framboise into a bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth. Chill

I use this recipe all the time, it is so very easy but absolutely delicious. Fabulous over Coeur la Creme.

This recipe is slightly different than most cheesecake recipes. I loved the hint of the amaretti cookies on the bottom, the texture was ever so slightly different in that it wasn't quite as creamy. I think that may have been because of the use of the marscapone and Ricotta and the orange and lemon zest just put it over the top.

Another note of mine: A cheesecake definitely requires a stand up mixer, not the time to use a hand mixer and I have found that blending it for a long time makes for a much creamier cheesecake.

An excellent cheesecake and one I will make again and again.

I am linking this post to Foodie Friday  at Designs by Gollum to share with other outstanding recipes.