Recipe Alert: Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Berries

Chef Donna Marrone

3 lbs ricotta cheese, drained
2 cups sugar
8 egg yolks
½ cup flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 lemon, zested
8 egg whites
½ cup heavy cream
2 cups graham crackers, crushed

Preheat the oven to 425 ̊.

In a mixer, beat the ricotta cheese until smooth, and gradually add 1 ½ cups sugar and egg yolks, mix well.  Add the flour, vanilla, and lemon zest, mix well.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with 1/2 cup of sugar until stiff peaks form, then add the heavy cream and fold this mixture into the cheese mixture.

Grease a 10-inch springform pan with butter and add the crushed graham crackers, press down to form a crust.  Add the filling and bake at 425 ̊ for 10 minutes, then lower the oven to 350 ̊and bake for 1 hour.  Cool on the rack until completely cool.

Raspberry Sauce
3 pints fresh raspberries
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract 
¾ cups milk
2½ cups ricotta cheese
Additional berries for garnish (blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries)

Place raspberries in a blender add 1/3 cup of sugar and the lemon juice, process until smooth.  Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the seeds.  Set aside.

Add vanilla extract to the milk.  Place the ricotta cheese in a bowl and stir in the milk mixture, the raspberry mixture, and the remaining 1 cup of sugar.  Mix until the ingredients are fully combined and smooth.  

To assemble, put a slice of cheesecake on a plate and top with the raspberry sauce. Garnish with blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries.