A recipe from the forthcoming SHH (Sustainability, Health, Heritage) Recipe Book.
Ingredients
200 grams of ricotta cheese (or similar)
2 eggs
70 grams of unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Small pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Cream the butter and sugar and whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
Beat well and add in the ricotta cheese and pinch of salt.
Finally, beat in the milk and then, little by little, the flour.
Stir in the lemon zest.
Pour the mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish and bake for between 35 and 45 minutes.
The cheesecake is ready when slightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cheesecake cool for at least 15 minutes to set. Enjoy on its own or with a bit of your favorite jam, or fresh fruit in season.
About the Recipe
The quesada pasiega is a Cantabrian delicacy that was originally prepared with fresh pasiego cheese (from the Pasiego valleys in central Cantabria). Its first mention dates back to the fourteenth century, when a recipe for quesada is found in the ‘Book of Good Love’ by the Archpriest of Hita.
Fresh pasiego cheese, the main component of the quesada, was made by curdling milk from the pasiega cows, and is what gives its special taste and personality to this simple dessert. It is difficult to reproduce this at home, but for the most authentic taste you can use fresh milk curdled with rennet.