Each time we make this, we find ourselves and all of our guests crowding around it, taking turns digging in for the first hour of our visit...it's a big hit. We're anticipating friends for dinner tonight and we made this special pre-dinner snack again. I also made a 2 layer sour cream chocolate cake with strawberry jam filling with a dusting of confectioner's sugar! Our friends regularly treat us to meals straight from their garden, delicious European treats, liquors and homemade limoncello. It's payback time. I'm making Vietnamese noodles with shrimp for dinner.
Here is the wonderful appetizer recipe taken from Giada's cookbook:
"Despite the apricot topping, this is a savory dish, not a dessert, and it’s a knockout addition to an appetizer buffet. Be sure to pat the bell peppers dry with paper towels and don’t chop them too fine or they will turn the cheese filling pink. Note that the pan size is a bit unusual so make sure you have the right one before you start the recipe."
4 to 6 serviings
4 ounces ricotta cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
Kosher salt
2 jarred roasted red bell peppers cut in thin strips and halved (about ½ cup)
4 pitas
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup apricot jam
1 to 2 teaspoons hot water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap the outside of a 4½-inch round springform pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil.
Place the ricotta, cream cheese, and goat cheese in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the sugar, egg, and a pinch of salt and pulse a few times until well mixed and thick and creamy. Fold in the red pepper strips with a rubber spatula. Pour the cheese mixture into the springform pan.
Place the springform pan in a roasting pan and pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden at the edges and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold). Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
To make the pita chips, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut the pitas into 8 triangles each (like a pie). Place the triangles on rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle the triangles with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp and golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.
To serve, combine the jam and the hot water in a small bowl and stir until the jam is liquefied. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and place on a serving plate. Drizzle the jam mixture over the top of the cheesecake. Serve the pita chips alongside.
