Sicilian Cheesecake with Ricotta, Orange and Almond

Step 1

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350℉. Prep and gather all ingredients. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9” springform pan.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)

Step 2

Put the ricotta in a strainer or fine mesh sieve propped over a bowl and let it drain out excess liquid for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature. (You can line it with cheesecloth if you have it.) Discard the liquid and transfer the strained ricotta to a large bowl and set aside.

Step 3

Place the graham crackers and almonds in a food processor or blender and pulse until they are the consistency of breadcrumbs. (It is normal (and really great) to have slightly bigger bits of the almonds in the crust mixture. (See close-up photo above.) You will LOVE the final texture it creates!)

Step 4

Transfer this crumb mixture to a bowl and combine them with the sugar. (NOTE: If you don’t have a food processor or blender just put the crackers and nuts in a zip-lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Since the crumbs need to be fine, you will have to put some elbow grease into it!)

Step 5

Melt the butter over low heat and stir in the orange zest.

Step 6

Pour the butter mixture into the crumb mixture and mix until well-combined and until the mixture holds together when squeezed in your hand. If needed, add a little more melted butter. The texture should be similar to wet sand–thick and coarse. Smash/break up any large chunks.

Step 7

Then, firmly press this mixture evenly into the bottom and along the sides of the springform pan with your hands, applying medium-firm pressure until the crumbs are set. (You don’t want any loose crumbs.) The crust does not need to come all the way up the sides of the pan, just an inch or so.

Step 8

Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to help smooth out and gently pack down the crust into the pan and up the sides. It should be compact, but not so tight that it bakes into a hard crust. You can also run a spoon along the bottom corners to keep a rounded shape.

Step 9

Transfer the unbaked crust to a middle rack in a 350℉ preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let the crust cool at least 10 minutes before filling it. Note that the crust will be soft after it’s removed from the oven, but will set and harden in a short amount of time.

Step 10

Place the sugar in a bowl and sift the flour into it. Stir together.

Step 11

Beat the eggs with the extracts and zest.

Step 12

Using a rubber spatula or a large spoon, gently fold the sugar mixture into the ricotta until well-combined. (NOTE: Do not use an electric mixer as it may cause overmixing and break the cheese.)

Step 13

Then, add the egg mixture to the ricotta a little at a time, while continuing to mix gently with spatula or spoon until well-blended and smooth.

Step 14

Carefully pour the batter in the cooled graham cracker crust. Poke a few “holes” into the batter with the spatula to prevent air pockets, then smooth the top with the spatula. (NOTE: Expect the batter to be very loose.)

Step 15

Transfer pan to a middle rack in a 350℉ preheated oven and bake for 55-72 minutes or until the cake is firm all the way to the top center. Begin checking it at 55 minutes. The exact amount of time will depend on your oven. (In my electric oven, it almost always takes exactly 72 minutes.) The top will be brown around the edges. (See photo above.)

Step 16

Allow cheesecake to cool at room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Step 17

This cheesecake is best chilled at least a few hours. It should have at least 3 hours in the refrigerator to set before serving. When ready to serve, remove cake from the springform pan and carefully transfer it to a plate.

Step 18

Dust the top of the cake with some powdered sugar and sprinkle the slices with toasted sliced almonds, if desired. For a clean slice, use a sharp, smooth (not serrated) knife and run it under hot water then wipe it dry before every slice. Buon Appetito!