LEMON CREAM CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Crust: mix together the crust ingredients; turn the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate; using your fingertips, distribute the mixture evenly and loosely over the sides first and then the bottom.
• Then press the crust firmly and evenly on the sides, pushing it up from the bottom a bit to form a rim slightly (barely) higher than the edge of the pie plate.
• After pressing the sides and top edge firmly, press the remaining crumbs evenly and firmly over the bottom; bake for 8 minutes at 375°, then cool to room temperature.
• Filling: place oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350°.
• In a small bowl, mix rind and juice; set aside.
• In a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, process cottage cheese or ricotta cheese until it is as smooth as honey (it takes a full minute in a processor).
• In the small bowl of an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until it is perfectly smooth.
• Add the smooth cottage cheese and beat to mix.
• Then add the sugar, vanilla, and the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating until smooth after each addition.
• When the filling is perfectly smooth, remove the bowl from the mixer; stir in the lemon rind and juice, and pour filling into prepared crust.
• Bake for 30 minutes; remove from oven and cool completely.
• Topping: in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters, whip the whipping cream until it holds a firm shape when the beaters are raised.
• In another bowl, stir the sour cream until it is soft and smooth; stir in the sugar.
• Then gently fold in the sour cream and whipped cream together.
• Just pile the topping loosely on top of the pie, letting some of the filling show around the edges.
• Refrigerate for at least a few hours.