Lidia Bastianich Recipes | Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake

Lidia buttered a 9-inch springform pan, then dusted it with fine breadcrumbs, not flour. “Breadcrumbs,” she told Julia, “give a toasty, Italian crunch. Flour is for cakes that are afraid of texture.”

Julia took a bite and closed her eyes.

“Good?” Lidia asked.

Lidia turned off the oven, cracked the door, and let the cheesecake rest inside for an hour. “No cold shock,” she said. “You wouldn’t jump into a cold sea after a hot bath. Neither should the cake.” lidia bastianich recipes chocolate ricotta cheesecake

Buon appetito.

The batter went into the springform pan. She smoothed the top, gave it a gentle tap on the counter to release air bubbles, and placed it in a preheated 350°F oven. After 20 minutes, she lowered the heat to 300°F without opening the door. Total baking time: about 70–80 minutes, until the center was just barely set—still a little wobbly, like a quiet laugh. Lidia buttered a 9-inch springform pan, then dusted

One rainy afternoon in her Queens kitchen, Lidia decided to teach her granddaughter, Julia, how to make it. The goal wasn’t perfection. It was feeling. “Good