Sometimes you come across a recipe and you know that it has your name written all over it.
The synapses in your brain fire away and next thing you know, you've clicked 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. I set out to immediately bookmark and then promptly forget all about it. I confess, that my computer seems to be the final resting place for many good recipes that may never see the light of day or feel the heat of my stove.
Fiadone is traditionally a Corsican, crust-less cheesecake made with broccui cheese and goat cheese.
So what's Broccui?
First off, God forbid you pronounce it bro-choo and not brooch (yup! learned that the hard way and risked dirty looks from Corsican acquaintances). Brocciu is a Corsican cheese produced from a combination of milk and whey, giving it some of the characteristics of whey cheese; it is produced from ewe's milk. It is notable as a substitute for lactose-rich Italian Ricotta, as brocciu contains less lactose.
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 wanting to make Fiadone in my American kitchen meant using store-bought, run-of-the-mill Ricotta cheese and a slab of goat cheese.
No regrets! The combination of goat cheese and ricotta is lovely together and the lemon zest is magical with the flavors of goat cheese.
All said and done, I'd much rather have a life with Fiadone in it than one without even though I won't be meeting ewe milk anytime soon at my local Wegmans.
So there you have it! Fiadone for the American kitchen which not only tastes great but whips up in a jiffy compared to traditional cheesecakes. Just a rough and tumble in ones food processor, into the oven and ecco qui!
warmly,
Devaki
Recipe for
Fiadone | Corsican Cheesecake with Goat Cheese & Ricotta
Serves 6. Make a 9" square pan
Shopping list 10.5 oz. goat cheese
1-1/2 lbs. brocciu or ricotta cheese
7 large eggs, discard shells
1- 1/4 cups regular white sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp lemon emulsion (optional)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
Also, non-stick baking spray for greasing pan
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
In a food processor, add the goat cheese, ricotta cheese, zest of 1 lemon, lemon emulsion (if using), sugar, salt, pure vanilla extract and eggs. 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 30-35 minutes until the cheesecake is barely set & the center is a little jiggly.
Watch carefully! Place the pan under the broiler to brown for about 2-3 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!
