Sophie Grigson's Torta di Ricotta con Pesche al Prosecco
Finish your dinner party in style and serve up this delicious Baked Ricotta Cheesecake with Peaches in Prosecco, taken from Series Two of Sophie Grigson: Slice of Italy.
Ingredients
For the Base
For the Top
For the Peaches
Method
Step 1
Pre-heat the oven to 150C/130Fan/Gas 3. Line the removable base of a 24cm tin with baking parchment and grease the sides.
Step 2
If you have a food processor, just whizz all the pastry ingredients together until they form a ball. If not, cream the butter with the sugar and salt and gradually work in the flour. Press the pastry into the base of the cake tin.
Step 3
Bake for 25 mins until pale and biscuity.
Step 4
While it cooks make a peach puree with 2 of the peaches. If the peaches really are good and ripe, all you need to do is skin them, then chop the flesh roughly and process with a slurp or two of prosecco and a little sugar to taste. If the flesh is a bit on the firm side, skin and slice them into a saucepan. Add enough prosecco to almost cover, and 1 tablespoon caster sugar.
Step 5
Cook for a few minutes until the peaches are tender. Cool slightly then process. Taste and add more sugar if needed.
Step 6
Drain the whey from the ricotta. Beat the ricotta with the caster sugar, vanilla and flour. Beat in the eggs. Tip the mixture over the cooked base. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the peach puree over the ricotta mixture.
Step 7
Bake for 45-50 minutes until just firm, but still with a slight wobble in the centre. Turn off the heat, prop the door ajar, and leave to cool in the oven. Chill the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step 8
An hour or so before serving, slice the remaining peaches, add sugar to taste, and cover with prosecco. Stir carefully to dissolve the sugar, then leave to macerate.
Step 9
Run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen, then un-mould. Place on a plate. Just before serving, pile a few peach slices on top and drizzle over a little more of the peach puree. Serve with the remaining peaches in Prosecco and puree.
