RICOTTA PIE WITH AMARENA CHERRIES

Ricotta Pie with Amarena Cherries image

Okay, this is actually a cheesecake, but it's so creamy and light that you won't care what it's called, you'll just ask for more.

Categories Bon Appétit Dessert Ricotta Cheesecake Bake Almond Cherry

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

Ingredients

Crust:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, plus more for pan
1 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large egg yolks
Filling and assembly:
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups whole-milk fresh ricotta
3/4 cup sour cream
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Amarena or Italian maraschino cherries (for serving)
Special Equipment
A 9-inch-diameter springform pan

Steps:

Crust:
Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 325°F. Generously butter pan and set aside. Pulse almonds, flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until almonds are finely ground and mixture is combined. Add egg yolks and pulse to incorporate. Add 3 Tbsp. butter to mixture and pulse until dough is the consistency of wet sand.
Press crust into the bottom and 3/4" up the sides of prepared pan using a straight-sided measuring cup. Chill until firm, about 10 minutes.
Bake crust until evenly golden brown and set, 12-14 minutes. (If it slumps during cooking, you can always press it back into place with the measuring cup while it's still warm.) Transfer pan to a wire rack and let crust cool.
Filling and assembly:
Keep oven at 325°F. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese in a medium bowl until no lumps remain, about 1 minute. Add ricotta and sour cream and beat until well incorporated. Add egg yolks and egg one at a time, beating well between each addition. With the motor running, gradually add sugar and salt and beat until filling is creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add almond extract, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and orange zest and mix just to incorporate.
Set pan with prepared crust on a large sheet of foil and fold up foil tightly around sides of pan (you can turn 2 small sheets of foil into 1 large sheet by folding their edges together several times, then opening up like a book). Repeat with several more pieces of foil to create a waterproof seal around the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Set inside a large roasting pan or baking dish and pour filling into crust (it will go above the crust).
Set roasting pan on oven rack and carefully pour in very hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake ricotta pie until the top is set and dry to touch but the filling still wobbles underneath (it will firm as it cools), 65-75 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until cool and firm, 3-4 hours.
Slice ricotta pie and serve topped with amarena cherries.
Do Ahead
Crust can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature. Ricotta pie can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.