Greek Cheesecake Food

GREEK YOGURT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a large piece of foil and place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Put the pita chips into a food processor and pulse until fine. Add the butter and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs into the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is slightly dry in appearance and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Cool completely.
• Meanwhile, combine the yogurt, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor and process until well blended and smooth. Pour over the prepared crust and bake until the center is just set, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Meanwhile, put the blueberries and pineapple juice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Sprinkle the gelatin over 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Stir the dissolved gelatin into the hot blueberry mixture until combined. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, cover and chill until thickened, about 3 hours.
• After chilling the cheesecake, remove the springform ring. Slice and serve, topped with the blueberry sauce. If the sauce is too thick, rewarm it in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time before spooning over the cheesecake.

TORTA KATAIFI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Line the bottom of the springform pan with a layer of the kataifi. Bake until golden brown, 10 minutes. Then cool completely.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Place the pistachios, cinnamon and cloves in a food processor and process until the nuts are chunky and uniform in size. Do not over process. Reserve half of the nuts for a later use.
• Sprinkle the first half of the nuts over the baked pastry; spread most of the nuts towards the edges of the pan and fade to a light coating in the center of the pan. This will create a nice crust on the back of each piece when the dessert is cut and served.
• In a large mixing bowl mix together the ricotta, cream, sugar and vanilla with a large spoon. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or by hand with a whisk, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture with a spatula or rubber scraper. Pour the mixture into the pan over the nuts. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top of the ricotta mixture similar to the first time, with most of the nuts on the outer edge and fade to lightly coat the center. Spread the remaining sheet of kataifi on top of the cake, covering the entire surface.
• Bake until golden brown and the cake is set, 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Cool the cake completely.
• Pour the hot Citrus Syrup over the cooled cake, then cut and serve.
• Place the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and orange zest in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture achieves a syrup consistency, 20 minutes.

GREEK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Unroll pie crust; cut into 8-inch square. Discard trimmings. Place in 8-inch square baking dish. Bake 10 min. or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, beat eggs, sugar and flour with mixer until light and fluffy. Blend in yogurt. Add Neufchatel, honey and 1 tsp. cinnamon; mix well.
• Pour over crust; sprinkle with remaining cinnamon.
• Bake 45 to 50 min. or until center is set.

GREEK CHEESECAKE (SAVOURY)

Steps:

• For crust, mix walnuts, zwieback, and butter.
• Press onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• For filling, in a large bowl beat feta and ricotta cheeses with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.
• Add eggs all at once, beating on low speed until just combined.
• Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, chopped olives, minced garlic, herbs, pepper, and salt with a spoon.
• Pour filling into the springform pan, and place on a larger shallow baking pan.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the center appears nearly set when shaken.
• Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack.
• Run a spatula around inside of the pan.
• Cool for 30 minutes more.
• Remove side of pan.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• At serving time, garnish cheesecake with fresh oregano.
• This can be made up to 3 days ahead of serving.
• Bring to room temperature (or close to it).
• Cut into thin slices and serve alongside a leafy, green salad (various baby lettuces would be good) that has been dressed lightly with a vinaigrette.