Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake

I stumbled across this recipe on 101 cookbooks. Heidi Swanson the author of the site sums up her site by saying: When you own over 100 cookbooks, it is time to stop buying, and start cooking.

I am always searching for a new savory cheesecake recipe to try, I am a huge fan of the Parmesan Cheesecake at Uncorked in Scottsdale. So I had to try this one. This is the recipe straight from Heidi's site, I will make my notes in green. If you make this let me know how it turns out for you.

To shred the zucchini use a box grater - most micro planes are too fine, you want shredded zucchini, not mush. I used my micro plane and liked the results. Feel free to play around with the "add-in" ingredients - for example, use whatever chopped herbs you like. My favorite cooking philosophy! Make it your own. I had dill on hand, and I like how it tastes with summer squash, so dill it was. I suspect anything from chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or chives, to spices, chopped spinach, or corn could work here. Also, when I have the time and inclination I'll drain the ricotta through cheesecloth to get even more moisture out of the cake, but to be honest, most times I won't bother. I did drain my ricotta because the version I love at Uncorked is not moist. Lastly, I use a springform pan here, but you could use an equivalent baking dish or deep tart pan as well. If you don't have a springform pan, next time you are invited to one of those Pampered Chef parties, pick one up. They have a great one.

2 cups zucchini, unpeeled & grated
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt (I substituted my favorite Cavender's here)
2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese (I used the low fat)
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
zest of one lemon
2 large eggs, well beaten
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
drizzle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 325F degrees, racks the middle. Butter/oil a 7-inch springform pan. (Pam with flour, works like a charm!)

In a strainer, toss the shredded zucchini with the salt and let sit for ten minutes. Now aggressively squeeze and press out as much moisture as you can. Set aside.

In the meantime, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, shallots, garlic, dill and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Stir in the eggs and continue mixing until well combined. Now stir in the shredded zucchini. Fill the springform pan with the ricotta mixture and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for sixty minutes. If there is any moisture left on top of the cake at this point, carefully use a bit of paper towel to dab it off. Now sprinkle with the goat cheese and return to the oven for another 20 -30 minutes or until the goat cheese is melted and the cake barely jiggles in the center (it will set up more as it cools).

At this point, if the cake is baked and set, but the top isn't quite golden, I'll zap it with the broiler (just about a minute) to get a bit more color on top. Remove from the oven and let cool five minutes, then release the cake from its pan. Cool completely, serve at room temperature drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a few sprigs of dill.

Savory Cheesecake

The wine bar that we like to go to here in Scottsdale is called Uncorked, they serve this amazing Parmesan Cheesecake with slices of pear. Here is my attempt at their masterpiece.

1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs
5 tablespoons butter, melted
salt and pepper

For the topping:
1 tablespoon butter
1 leek, washed and finely chopped
4 oz. fresh morel mushrooms, washed
12 oz. fresh chevre
12 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup crème fraîche
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs such as tarragon, parsley or thyme (You can even use dried Italian herbs, but rehydrate them in a little white wine)
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 egg whites

Preheat the oven to 350º.
Combine the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and the butter in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Press into the base of a 9” spring-form tin.
Heat the butter in a pan and add the leeks. Cook over a low heat to soften the leeks and then add the morel mushrooms. Cook for a couple of minutes. Allow to cool.
Place the chevre, softened cream cheese and the crème fraîche. Mix in the egg, chopped herbs, flour and salt. Then add the leeks and morels and combine.
Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks and then fold into the mixture. Pour the mixture over the base. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until almost set. Cool in the oven for a further hour. Then chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve as an appetizer with pieces of crusty bread or with slices of pear & apple.