SICILIAN RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

SICILIAN RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Sponge cake:

Butter
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
Finely chopped rind of 1/2 lemon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3 egg whites


Filling:

1-1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 lb. fresh ricotta cheese
1 lb. mixed candied fruit
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 1-oz. squares semi-sweet chocolate, chopped in pieces
8 tbsp. Maraschino liqueur


To make the sponge cake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10 inch spring-form
cake pan.

Whisk the eggs yolks with the sugar, grated lemon rind and 3
tbsp. hot water until light and foamy.

Sift the flour and baking powder together, and fold it into the
egg yolk mixture.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, but not dry. With a large
spoon, fold them into the cake mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 15 to
20 minutes, or until the cake is a rich golden color and springs
back when pressed lightly. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.


For the filling:

Dissolve the sugar in 3 tbsp. of water over low heat. Beat the
sugar syrup with the ricotta cheese until it is smoothly
blended. Put aside about half of the best pieces of candied
fruit to decorate the cake. Chop the remainder coarsely.

Add the cinnamon to the sweetened ricotta and beat until smooth
and creamy. Put aside a few tbsp. of the mixture for decoration.
Combine the remainder with the chopped fruit and chocolate.

Cut the sponge cake in half horizontally. Put one layer on the
bottom of the cake pan, cut side up, and sprinkle it with half
of the Maraschino. Spread with the remaining cheese mixture. Fit
the ring of the cake pan in position and chill the cake for
several hours.

When ready to serve, remove the cake from the pan and place it
on a large, flat serving dish. Coat the top and sides with the
reserved cheese and decorate with the reserved candied fruit.

You may also decorate the cake with whipped cream, and the
candied fruits may be supplemented with chopped nuts.
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BRANDIED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

BRANDIED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Crust:

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup sugar


Filling:

2 (250 g) pack cream cheese at room temperature
1 (125 g) pack cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 medium eggs
1 (14 oz.) can pumpkin (no spices added)
2-1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/3 cup brandy
whipped cream
preserved ginger

For crust, combine crumbs, sugar and butter in a bowl and mix
well. Press crumb mixture firmly into bottom of 10 inch spring
form pan and 2 inches up sides. Bake in moderate oven, 350
degrees for 10 minutes.

For filling beat together cream cheese and sugar until light and
fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
addition until smooth and creamy. Add pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon,
nutmeg, cloves and brandy and mix until well blended. Pour
cheese mixture into crust and bake in slow oven, 325 degrees,
for 50 or 60 minutes, or until well risen. Turn off heat and let
cheesecake cool in oven. When cold, decorate top with whipped
cream and sliced ginger.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHEESECAKE

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Crust:

1-1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 18 wafers)
2 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. melted butter or margarine


Filling:

2 (250 g or 8-oz) packages cream cheese
1 (125 g or 4-oz) package cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup whipping cream
3 medium eggs
1 (19-oz.) can cherry pie filling
2 tbsp. chocolate cherry liqueur (optional)
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 oz. grated semi-sweet chocolate

Combine chocolate wafer crumbs, 2 tbsp. sugar and melted butter.
Press into bottom of 9 inch spring form pan. Bake in moderate
oven, 350 degrees, for 10 minutes. Cool. Reduce oven temperature
to 300 degrees.

Have cream cheese at room temperature. Beat in large mixing bowl
at medium speed until creamy. Gradually beat in the one cup of
sugar and cocoa. Add vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat
until smooth. Pour over chocolate crust. Bake in slow oven, 300
degrees, about one hour until center of cake is firm. Remove
from oven and cool to room temperature.

Combine cherry pie filling with liqueur, if being used. Pour
over cooled cheesecake.

Add the two tbsp. sugar and vanilla to whipping cream in bowl.
Whip until stiff. Spoon onto cake, covering evenly. Chill
several hours before serving.

Decorate with grated chocolate. Makes 10 to 12 servings. This
cheesecake freezes well.
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MAGIC PIE RECIPE

MAGIC PIE RECIPE

4 eggs
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups milk or half and half
1 cup coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place all ingredients in blender at one time and blend until
mixed together. Pour into a buttered 10-inch piepan. Bake in a
350 degree oven for 1 hour. When done, crust will be on bottom,
custard in the middle, an coconut on top - right where they
belong.
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ITALIAN BREAD

42.) ITALIAN BREAD
(2 loaves)

1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 packages active dry yeast
cornmeal
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. butter
water
salad oil
1 egg white

In large bowl, combine sugar, salt, yeast and 2 cups flour. In
1-quart saucepan over low heat, heat butter and 1-3/4 cups water
until very warm (butter doesn't need to melt).

With mixer at low speed, gradually beat liquid into dry
ingredients until just blended. Increase speed to medium, beat 2
minutes.

Beat in 1/2 cup flour to make thick batter. Continue beating
mixture at medium for 2 minutes. Scrape bowl often with spatula.
With wooden spoon, stir in enough additional flour (about 1-3/4
cups) to make a soft dough.

Turn dough onto floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic,
about 10 minutes, adding flour while kneading.

Cut dough in half, cover pieces with bowl. Let dough rest 20
minutes for easier shaping.

Grease large cookie sheet; sprinkle with cornmeal.

On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll each half into
15" by 10" rectangle. From 15" side, tightly roll dough, pinch
seam to seal.

Place loaves, seam side down, on cookie sheet and taper ends.
Brush loaves with oil; cover loosely with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate 2 - 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove loaves from fridge, uncover.
Let stand 10 minutes. cut 3 or 4 diagonal slashes on top of each
loaf. Bake 20 minutes.

In small bowl with fork, beat egg white with 1 tbsp. water.
Remove loaves from oven, brush with egg, return to oven, bake 5
minutes.
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MEDITERRANEAN FONDUE

41.) MEDITERRANEAN FONDUE

1 lb. shelled shrimp
juice of 1 lemon
8 oz. Gruyere cheese
2 pints chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped dill
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 onions

Sprinkle shrimp with lemon juice and leave 10 minutes. Peel and
chop onions. Grate cheese. Pour stock into metal fondue and
heat. Add grated cheese and stir over low heat until melted; do
not boil. Remove from heat, stir in onions, dill, cayenne, sugar
and pepper. Bring pan to table and place on spirit burner. Drain
shrimp, pat dry. Spear on fondue forks, dip in to fondu for 1
minute, then eat. Serve with slices of crusty Italian bread, hot.
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VEAL SCALLOP OPEN SANDWICH

40.) VEAL SCALLOP OPEN SANDWICH
(4 servings)

2 tbsp. butter
4 slices bread
1 heat lettuce
4 small veal scallops
3 tbsp. flour
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp. celery salt
4 tomatoes
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Butter bread. Separate lettuce into leaves, wash and pat dry and
shred. Pound veal to flatten; coat with flour. Fry veal in oil
2-3 minutes each side until lightly browned. Remove from pan;
keep warm. Halve tomatoes, place in pan cut sides down. Fry 3
minutes, turn over, sprinkle with celery and garlic salt. Remove
from heat. Place bread on four individual dishes. Place veal on
each; add layer of lettuce; top with two tomato halves and serve.
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