Carmela Soprano's Ricotta - Pineapple Pie (Cheesecake)

I haven't posted a dessert recipe in quite a while.

Well, what with trying to drop the holiday pounds, it didn't seem like a good idea.

But Valentine's Day is coming up.

And what's a Valentine's Day without a dessert?

Carmela's chapter Feeding my Family in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook has a nice dessert recipe.

Ricotta - Pineapple Pie.

This recipe comes highly recommended by Carmela:

I once made a ricotta pie with pineapple to give to a local professional woman to do me an important favor… She must have really enjoyed it - she came through so nicely.

Yeah… It was the pie that made the woman come through, MRS. SOPRANO.

Like the local professional was clueless about Carmela's hubby Tony.

Whatever…

It's a good recipe.

Ricotta is a soft bland cheese. 

The texture is like a very well blended, smooth cottage cheese.

So, yes, this is a cheesecake recipe.

I've learned a lot from blogging over the past three years.

One of the first things I learned is to never insult a cheesecake recipe.

That I learned from getting snarky about Carmela's New Jersey Cheesecake.

It's a motherhood type of thing.

Maybe because cheese is made with milk.

Milk… Mothers… 

No, don't insult anyone's cheesecake.

Even if it's not as famous as Lindy's Cheesecake.

Or as much a sentimental favourite as the 1960s Co-op Refrigerator Cheesecake.

If you're in a rush - or prefer cherries to pineapples - you can top the cooled cheesecake with canned cherry pie filling.

Or blueberry… or apple pie filling.

Hey, it's your pie.

Prefer a ricotta cheesecake without fruit?
Try Carmela's Ricotta Cheesecake.

Just pick a cheesecake recipe, cook, serve and enjoy.

And keep your opinions on cheesecake recipes to yourself.

Trust me.

                        Ricotta - Pineapple Pie

Serves 8

Preheat the oven to 350º

Spread over the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan (or a springform pan)

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Add

1/4 Cup fine graham wafer crumbs

Shake the pan so the crumbs coat the bottom and sides.

In a large bowl combine

1/2 Cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch 

Add

1 15-ounce container of ricotta

2 large eggs

1/2 Cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50 minutes.

The pie should be set around the edges, with a slightly soft center.

Cool on a wire rack until room temperature.

The Topping

Drain well, but save the syrup

1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple in syrup

In a medium saucepan combine

1/4 Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon cornstarch  

Stir in 

1/2 Cup of the saved pineapple syrup

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Cook, stirring until thickened, about 1 minute.

Add 

the drained pineapple

Remove from heat and let cool.

Spread the pineapple mixture over the pie.

Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Would I make Ricotta - Pineapple Pie again?

Sure.  

I like it better than Carmela's New Jersey Cheesecake.

Oh, Lord… Why did I say that?

One recipe down.  Forty-two more to go.