Sicilian ricotta cheesecake recipe

I prefer to use sheep's cheese ricotta for its more pronounced taste and for the contrast of the savouriness with the candied fruits and cinnamon. 

For the pastry

combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, almond meal and chopped butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Or, if you are doing it by hand, gently and quickly rub the butter through the flour mixture between your fingers until it turns into coarse crumbs.

Turn on to the bench and make a well in the centre. Add the beaten egg and gently bring the mixture together with your hands, kneading lightly until it forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and leave to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.

For the filling

 Place the ricotta in a colander to drain for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 170C (or 160C if you have a fan-forced oven). Butter a 26cm flan tin.

Toast the pinenuts in the oven until light golden. Soak the chopped sultanas in the marsala. Finely chop the candied fruit.

In a bowl, beat the ricotta with the sugar, then add the eggs, one by one, beating until smooth and well incorporated. Fold in the sultanas and marsala, the candied fruits and citrus rind, the cinnamon and then the sifted flour. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface to 1 - 2 cm thickness and use it to line the flan tin. Press into shape and trim edges.

Pour the ricotta mixture into the pastry and bake for 1 hour or until lightly golden.

The cake should feel slightly firm and may crack in the centre. Cool completely before removing from the tin.

This is best served cold and is even better the next day.

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