Shavuot

I feel as if I've been cooking non-stop since Pesach, much like the holiday cycle from Rosh Hashanah to Sukkot. 

But Shavuot seems different. It's the last holiday before the long, hot, holiday-free summer. And since we eat mainly vegetarian and dairy meals most of the year anyway, it's easy to come up with a menu.

The only issue is cheesecake.

Mention cheesecake and everyone has an opinion. Some like it rich and dense while others want it light and airy. Some insist on full-fat cream cheese, while others like ricotta, white cheese or yogurt. So many variations!

I do enjoy cheesecake, though I don't make it often. My preference is for a not-too-sweet lemony ricotta cake, with a slightly crunchy crust.

My after-Pesach refrigerator inventory included a number of un-eaten cheeses close to expiration date. A pre-Shavuot cheesecake experiment came to mind.  I don't usually experiment with baking, but I looked at a few recipes and gave it a try. My formula was 1 egg for each cup of soft white cheese. 

The crust is dependent on whatever cereal we have. Cheerios, puffed rice and bran flakes all work well. Throw a cup or so into the food processor bowl along with a handful of walnuts and a dash of cinnamon. Process into crumbs and add just enough canola oil to keep it together. Press it into an 8-inch (20 cm) spring form pan.

Rinse out the processor bowl and put in the cheese. I used:

1 container 5% cottage cheese

1 container 5% "Ski" cheese (soft white cheese)

½ small log of soft goat cheese

1 container 0% plain yogurt

Zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup sugar

Process the mixture until smooth and taste it for sweetness and flavor. Then add:

3 eggs

Process again to blend everything together well.

Pour the cheese mixture into the crust and bake at 325 F (165 C) for about an hour, or until it's firm. Turn off the oven and leave the cake in for another half an hour. Remove it to a wire rack to cool completely and then refrigerate.