Ricotta Cheesecake

Over the past 18 months I like to think I have perfected this cheesecake. Last night I made if for the first time without a recipe and it was fab.
Try and use 'real ricotta' for this recipe. Here I refer to the slabs you buy by the kilogram at your deli or supermarket deli. The prepackaged ricotta will suffice, but the texture is quite different and it has a host of additional ingredients to make it last a lot longer. I used to buy hot ricotta directly from the factory in Melbourne, and it would only last a couple of days, in comparison the prepackaged ricotta have very long expiry dates.
You can adapt the ingredients in the filling: if you don't like sultanas, don't use them. Same for preserved orange. My sister adds a little bit of dark cooking chocolate, but I'm not such a fan. Also, taste the filling once you've made it and add sugar etc as required.

Ingredients:
1 quantity of shortcrust pastry made with 250gms flour, and 125 gms butter. (Refer previous recipe in blog.)
500gms fresh ricotta
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
vanilla bean (or equivalent)
2 slices preserved orange, diced
2 tablespoons brandy or desert wine
grated rind of 1 orange
grated rind of 1 lemon
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 egg beaten with a tbs milk for top pastry.

Optional:
1/2 cup sultanas
small quantity of dark chocolate roughly chopped
1-2 tbs cream

Method

1. Butter a 22 cm spring form cake tin or square/rectangular quiche tin.
2. Roll out pastry and line cake tin. (Reserving around a quarter for the top). Prick pastry with fork.
3. Line pastry with baking paper and put baking beans in.
   
4. Cook in 170 degree oven for 15 minutes. Take out, remove baking paper and beans and cook for 5 more minutes. Take out and cool. (This is referred to as a 'blind bake'.)
   
5. Reserve any of the unused pastry for top of cheesecake.
6. Soak preserved orange and sultanas in alcohol for around 10 minutes.
7. Combine all the filling ingredients and lightly whisk.
8. Pour mixture into pie shell and sprinkle top with pinenuts.
9. Roll out remaining pastry and cut into strips.
10. Create a lattice effect with remaining pastry and brush with egg mixture.
11. Bake in 180 degree oven for 45 minutes. You may need to move the cake around in the oven, and watch the top for burning.
12. Allow to cool before serving.

Ragout

This is the first meal I learned to cook. I came home from school one day when I was 12 and my mother had left me a note on what to cook for dinner and how. (She would make regular trips to Townsville, that hub of north Queensland). I have never been sure why she chose me, rather than my three elder sisters (evidently my two younger sisters and brother were too young) .... but I like to think it's because she recognised my early prowess as a cook and my interest in food in general, but my mother has since passed away so one can only guess.. and of course my sisters don't always agree with my version of events in the ongoing battle about who is the best cook in the family.

Ingredients
1-2 onions, finely diced
2-3 cloves garlic
2-3 tbs virgin olive oil
500 gm beef or pork, diced into 1cm cubes
1/2 cup good red wine
1 tin tomatoes
1/2 cup milk
bay leaves
rosemary
salt & pepper to taste

Method
Heat 2 tbs olive oil in heavy cast iron enamel pot, or whatever you have. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft.
In a separate pan (frying pan), heal olive oil and add meat.
Brown meat, then add to onion mixture.
Pour red wine into frying pan and scrape out bits of brown clinging to surface, and add to onion mixture (which is still on a low heat.)
Add tomatoes and herbs.
Place lid on pot and cook for 2-3 hours.
After around two hours, add the milk and continue to cook. You may want to add water.
Add salt at end, to taste.

This sauce is much better if left for a day.

Serve with home made parpadelle or penne, and parmesan cheese from a block. (Under no circumstances use pre-grated packaged parmesan.)
.... and of course with a salad, after the meal in a clean plate.
.... and a glass of good pinot noir.

Enjoy!