Ricotta makes a lighter cheesecake than cream cheese. In the summertime that might be just the ticket.

This recipe is based on an epicurious.com recipe. I added a good dose of rosewater to the batter, because I like the flavour and it compliments the rose petal – apple jelly used as a garnish. The red currants I found riding my bicycle in the Don Valley Park. I stopped because I spotted a mulberry tree, and underneath the tree there was a red currant bush teeming with berries. Nice!

Ricotta Cheesecake

2 lbs ricotta cheese
1 cup sugar
6 T all purpose flour
6 eggs
zest of 1 lemon
2 T rose water
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 320° F. Butter a 9½ inch springform pan. Place parchment paper on the bottom and around the sides.

Place the ricotta and lemon zest in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the sugar and flour and keep beating. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for about one hour, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out cleanly. Cool on a wire rack. The cake will sink a bit. No cause for concern.

Serving this with some seasonal fruit — like a pile of raspberries — is not a bad plan.

A tartrà is basically a savoury onion and herb custard from the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. Instead of the usual herbs like thyme, bay leaf, sage, and rosemary, I decided to infuse a bunch of basil leaves in the cream and milk, perhaps making this dish partake of Liguria as well as Piemonte. I had 2 (count ‘em ’2′) Principe Borghese tomatoes that ripened while all of the others are still green as can be. Hence the basil in the custard. Principe Borghese is a small oval shaped tomato that is great for drying. In fact I’ve heard they can be left right on the vine to sun dry naturally. Definitely will try that.

Here’s the recipe:

Tartrà Piemontese with Basil

makes 6 portions

1½ cups 35% cream
¾ cup milk
big handful of basil leaves
½ onion, minced
2 T butter
4 eggs
handful parmigiano-reggiano, grated
salt
pinch white pepper

Blanche the basil leaves and plunge into ice water to lock in the colour. Heat the cream and milk. Infuse the blanched basil leaves. Use an immersion blender to break down the basil. Let stand off the heat for about 1/2 an hour. Strain.

Meanwhile sweat the onion with the butter. Make sure the pan is covered. Blend all of the ingredients together.

Pour the resulting liquid into molds that have been buttered, have parchment paper circles on the bottom of the molds (which are also buttered).

Bake at 325°F for 25 minutes, covered in a bain marie.