Torta Di Ricotta ~ Italian Cheesecake

Here’s a classic dessert served at Renaissance-era court feasts and at festivals today. As with so many Renaissance dishes, this cake is heavily seasoned. Use the extra egg white from the pastry in the filling.

Serves 6

For the pastry:
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1 egg yolk
A little cold water

For the filling:
1 pound ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 egg white
3 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons powdered ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons raisins

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Pastry:
Mix the flour, butter, and egg yolk together in a bowl and add cold water until the dough consistency is right. Knead the dough a little bit and then roll it out on a floured board. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie pan.

Filling:
Combine all ingredients except the raisins in a blender and puree until smooth. Fold in the raisins and pour the filling into the dough.

Smooth the top and bake for 40 minutes.