ITALIAN (RICOTTA) CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Butter bottom and sides of a 12-inch springform pan.
• Sprinkle bottom and sides of well buttered pan with Graham cracker crumbs.
• In a large bowl, beat drained ricotta until very smooth.
• Gradually add 1 1/2 cups sugar and egg yolks, beating after each addition.
• Beat in flour, lemon rind, and vanilla.
• In a small bowl, beat cream until cream holds its shape, but is not too stiff.
• In a smaller bowl, beat egg whites with remaining sugar until stiff; combine with whipped cream and fold into ricotta mixture.
• Pour mixture into prepared pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Lower oven temperature to 350°F and bake 1 hour.
• Turn off heat and allow cake to cool in oven with door closed (about 3-4 hours).
• Remove cooled cake from oven, carefully remove sides of pan, store cake (well wrapped) in refrigerator.
• Before serving, lightly sprinkle top of cake with Confectioner's (powdered, 10X) sugar.
• Cake may be served chilled or at room temperature.
• Note: Center of cheese cake will be lower than the sides when it is cooled.
• This is not a defect!
• It is supposed to be this way (makes it easier to hold the topping if you choose to use one).
• VARIATIONS: Add raisins, chopped citron or chopped maraschino cherries to the batter.
• Top cheese cake with crushed sugared strawberries or cherries before serving.
• Cover bottom of crumbed pan with drained, sweetened crushed pineapple, applesauce or sliced apples before adding batter to pan.
• Pie crust pastry may be used instead of Graham crumbs to line pan.