I know that it's happened to you too - you come across a recipe and you know that it has your name written all over it.
The synapses in your brain by reflex click the bookmark button before you can even process all the information in said recipe.
That's precisely what happened when I came across a recipe for Fiadone on Epicurious some time ago. And I set about to immediately bookmark and then promptly forget all about it.
My computer unfortunately seems to be the final resting ground for many a recipe. Recipes that were stored with all good intentions and will perhaps never surface from their electronic versions to materialize into real ingredients on my kitchen counter-top.
What can I say? I'm a recipe hog with earnest intentions and too little time.
Ironically, the very fact that I'm out of time today and promised to arrive with dessert in tow at a dinner party is the catalyst by which Fiadone has finally emerged from it's resting ground in my computers drive.
There are some things you should know, Mr. Hubby loves cheesecake. And is therefore not easily pleased when it comes to the above mentioned food and in his case, 'group'.
Secondly, Fiadone is traditionally made with brocciu & any self-respecting Corsican will tell that there is really no true substitute for this freshly made, straight off the farm, cheese.
But I was determined to suffer the wrath of Corsicans everywhere and make Fiadone in my American kitchen using store-bought and therefore very mediocre Ricotta cheese and a slab of goat cheese.
Brocciu it may be not but the combination of goat cheese and ricotta is nothing short of superb. Lemon zest and lemon emulsion if you have it goes a very long way to make up for the lack of broccui and the mediocrity of everything else.
However, brace yourself serving this to a Corsican on two accounts - first get ready for a lecture on why you it's a mortal sin to make Fiadone without broccui and then god forbid you pronounce it bro-choo and not brooch (yup! learned that the hard way!)
Thank goodness, the wine was flowing on this particular night!
All said and done, I'd much rather have a life with Fiadone than one without.
And just as long as I steer clear of any more Corsicans (no offense intended), how we Fiadone, will just have to be our little secret!
Gather the ingredients,10.5 oz goat cheese, 1-1/2 lbs brocciu or ricotta cheese, 7 eggs, 1 - 1/4 cups sugar, zest of 1 lemon, 1 tsp lemon emulsion, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp salt, Non-stick baking spray for greasing pan
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
In a food processor, add the goat cheese - broken up into chunks, ricotta cheese, zest of 1 lemon, lemon emulsion, sugar, pure vanilla extract and eggs (shells discarded).
Process for a few minutes until the mixture is smooth with no lumps.
Spray the baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
Empty the filling into the pan.Bake for 30-40 minutes until the cheesecake is barely set & the center is a little jiggly.
Good to know: A toothpick should come out clean when inserted in the cheesecake.
Place the pan under the broiler to brown for about 3 minutes. Turn the dish around and brown again for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum 1 hour.
Cut into squares and serve chilled or remove from the refrigerator and let it sit to serve at room temperature.
Fiadone, Goat cheesecake from Corsica
(Adapted for the American kitchen using a traditional recipe)
Serves 6-8
Makes 1 qty 9" square panPreparation time – 10 minutes
Baking time: 30-40 minutes
Cooling & Chilling time: 2 hours
Shopping list
10.5 oz goat cheese
1-1/2 lbs brocciu or ricotta cheese
7 eggs
1 - 1/4 cups sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp lemon emulsion
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
Non-stick baking spray for greasing pan
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
In a food processor, add the goat cheese - broken up into chunks, ricotta cheese, zest of 1 lemon, lemon emulsion, sugar, pure vanilla extract and eggs (shells discarded).
Process for a few minutes until the mixture is smooth with no lumps.
Spray the baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
Empty the filling into the pan.Bake for 30-40 minutes until the cheesecake is barely set & the center is a little jiggly.
Good to know: A toothpick should come out clean when inserted in the cheesecake.
Place the pan under the broiler to brown for about 3 minutes. Turn the dish around and brown again for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum 1 hour.
Cut into squares and serve chilled or remove from the refrigerator and let it sit to serve at room temperature.
Enjoy!
