Image credit: Photography ~ Rupa Photography London. Food styling ~ Mandy Thompson. Recipe contributed by Tracey Fine and Georgie Tarn“You don’t have to be a genie to make this Middle Eastern cheesecake, but it looks and tastes genius”This recipe can also be found in “The Modern Jewish Table” by Tracey Fine and Georgie Tarn. Aka The Jewish Princesses.
500gkunafa pastry. This is shredded filo dough and can be found in Greek or Middle Eastern delicatessens.
250gricotta cheese
250gmascarpone cheese
2large egg yolks
50gcaster sugar
100gblanched almonds
100gchopped pistachios
Instructions
Pre-heat oven 180c
In a heavy bottomed saucepan place sugar, water and lemon juice.
Bring to the boil and then simmer on a low light for approximately 10 minutes or until the liquid has become a syrup, remove from heat and leave to cool.
When the syrup has cooled add the rose water and then set aside to be used later.
Melt the butter and use a little to grease a 28cm spring form tin.
In a large bowl break apart the Kunafa pastry until all the shreds are loose
Mix the butter in, using your hands, so all the pastry is well coated
Beat together ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, egg yolks and caster sugar until smooth
Take a greased 28cm springform tin and sprinkle blanched almonds over the bottom.
Take half of the Kunafa dough and place over the almonds, pressing it down
Spread the cheese mixture over the Kunafa, using a palette knife so you have an even layer.
Take the other half of the Kunafa dough and press over the top.
Bake for approximately 40 minutes until golden.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle ground pistachios on the top
Pour over the rosewater syrup evenly over the cake.