Here are two cheesecake recipes, the first from my uncle (which is very good), the second, an Italian cheesecake that I prefer, from my Irish mother-in-law, who cooks like an Italian having been married to one for nearly 60 years.
My Uncle Laurie's Cheesecake, as given to me shortly before his death. . its really more an outline. When you see the ingredients, you understand why the man had heart trouble:
Uncle Larry's Cheesecake
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 stick of butter, melted
Press into a buttered spring form pan (he doesn't specify what size, but I'd go with a 9").
Cheesecake:
6 eggs
a 16 oz container of sour cream
1 cup sugar*
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 (8 oz each) packages cream cheese
Mix above ingredients well with mixer or food processor.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cheesecake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn oven off and open door one inch from top of oven. Allow cake to set for one hour. Remove from oven, cover with foil and put in refrigerator overnight. Uncle Larry suggested two days in the refrigerator before serving.
He claimed to have gotten this recipe from a famous NYC chef (can't remember who, he did tell me).
*The sugar was left out when the recipe was resubmitted. We do not know if it was a mistake.
Ricotta Pie
Here is my favorite cheesecake recipe, quite a bit different from the standard, but it is lighter and much easier to make. This is not the revolting Italian cheesecake with candied fruit (blech), this one is very simple, yet extremely delicious and creamy. I it is much more a nice simple vanilla custard pie, and the quality of your ricotta is paramount. I like a very smoothly blended variety, and have been known to whiz a curdier ricotta around in the food processor before starting. Do NOT try to make this pie low fat, with skim ricotta, etc. It will be quite ordinary. Great for vanilla purists, if you use some really good vanilla extract.
Pie pastry for 1 pie crust (homemade is best, but store bought is okay in a pinch). I like to prebake the pie pastry in a 375°F oven for about 10 minutes first. Line the inside with foil, and use pie weights or dried beans to hold it down.
3/4 to 1 cup sugar*
1/2 tsp salt**
2 cups (1 lb) ricotta, preferably the whole milk variety, though you can use part skim if fat conscious, but the pie will not be quite as creamy
1 tbsp lemon juice***
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten (you can get away with 1 egg, and it will be very gooey, but also good)
1 cup milk or use half cream and half milk or Half & Half
a small amount, a shake, of nutmeg
Mix all of the above in mixer or processor, pour into pie shell. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 30 minutes. Lower heat to 350°F, shake on a small amount of nutmeg (don't use a lot), and bake an additional 15 to 25 minutes, until done. Will be a bit loose in the center, firmer on the outside.
Chill thoroughly before serving. This pie is delicious with a fruit compote on the side.
*The sugar amount was lower in the recipe when sent in again.
**The salt was changed down to a pinch when the recipe was sent in again.
*** or juice of 1/2 a lemon
Carolyn D.
(12/24/00)
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