Giada’s Savory Red Pepper Cheesecake
One thing that I love about Giada De Laurentiis is that she loves to recreate the ordinary, but yet keeps it simple. If you are looking for a change-up on your cheese tray for your holiday party she has a couple of great, simple ideas that sound tasty too. She recently shared these on the Today Show.
Red Pepper Cheesecake
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (4 ounces)
• 1/2 cup cream cheese (4 ounces)
• 1/4 cup goat cheese (2 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 egg
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1/2 cup thin strips roasted red bell peppers
• 4 pitas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup apricot jam
• 1 to 2 teaspoons hot water
• Special equipment: 1 (4 1/2-inch diameter) springform (cheesecake) pan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap the outside of the cheesecake pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Place the ricotta, cream cheese, and goat cheese in a food processor. Pulse to mix. Add the sugar, egg and salt and pulse a few times until well mixed. Stir in the red pepper strips.
Pour the cheese mixture into the cheesecake pan. Place the cheesecake pan in a roasting pan. Pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden at the edges and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold).
Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
Pita chips:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Cut the pitas into 8 triangles each (like a pie). Drizzle the pita with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp and golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.
To serve, combine the jam and the water in a small bowl and stir until the jam is liquefied. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Place on a serving plate. Drizzle the jam mixture over the top of the cheesecake. Serve with the pita chips alongside.
Pecorino Romano with Apples and Fig Jam
Ingredients
• 6 dried figs, halved
• 1/2 cup simple syrup, recipe follows
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
• 24 baguette slices
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1 large apple (Granny Smith or Braeburn), thinly sliced into 24 slices
• 1/4 pound chunk Pecorino Romano, for shaving 24 pieces
Simple syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the figs, simple syrup and brandy. Bring the mixture up to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Place the fig mixture and the hazelnuts in a food processor and blend, pulsing a few times, until pureed. Set aside.
Place the baguette slices on a heavy baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Top each slice with 1 teaspoon grated Pecorino Romano. Bake until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted and golden, about 7 minutes.
Top each slice of toast with 2 teaspoons of fig jam, a slice of apple and apiece of shaved Pecorino Romano. Transfer the toasts to a serving platter and serve.
Simple syrup:
In a saucepan combine water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Take pan off heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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POSTED IN: Entertaining, Giada de Laurentiis, Holidays, Recipes
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