Valerio Nucci

Ricotta cheesecake with mascarpone cream

Ingredients

Sweet Paste
300g plain flour
200g butter – room temperature and cut into small cubes
100g caster sugar
2 eggs-beaten
1gm salt
Cheesecake
800gms Ricotta
150gm mascarpone
4 eggs – separated
100 gms sugar
100 gms sugar
2 lemon zest
40gms candied peel – soaked in brandy
Mascarpone Cream
150gms mascarpone
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons castor sugar
Brandy to taste 25 cm flan or tart ring

Method

To make pastry case

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter to give a granular texture.

Make a well in the centre, add the eggs and sugar and mix the ingredients.

Mould the paste into a ball on a lightly floured board.

Roll out the paste to a round shape a little larger than the ring.

Line the flan, making sure that there is not air pockets and to obtain and even thickness.

Allow the flan to rest for 30 minutes in a fridge.

Blind bake the tart shell by placing a sheet of greaseproof paper in the lined flan and fill with rice.

Bake at 200 for approx. 15 minutes

Remove the paper and the rice and brush with egg wash.

To make cheesecake

Beat ricotta and mascarpone till smooth

Add yolks, sugar, lemon zest and peel

Whip egg white till firm

Fold into the mixture

To make mascarpone cream

Whisk the eggs and sugar till light

In a separate bowl mix mascarpone cheese and brandy, add to egg mixture by folding in.

To complete

Fill the tart shell with the cheese mix.

Place some strips of pastry to form a trellis and bake at 180 for approx. 30 minutes or until set and golden brown.

Serve with mascarpone cream