Cheesecake with ricotta cheese and almonds

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1/4 cup chopped almonds
• 140 g of almond biscotti cookies
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

For filling and decoration:

• 3 eggs at room temperature, separated into yolks and whites
• 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 450 gr. ricotta cheese (about 2 tbsp.)
• 1 tbsp. l. amaretto liqueur
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup almond flakes for garnish

Preparation:

1. Prepare the cake base: To bake, preheat the oven to 170°C (350°F) on the bottom shelf. Place the almonds (1/4 and 1/3 cups) for the crust and garnish on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes until golden brown. Let the almonds cool.
2. Crush the almond cookies in a food processor, add 1/4 cup toasted almonds and granulated sugar, and process well. Add the butter and mix well. Spread the mixture over the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Bake for 12 minutes, or until set, then remove from the oven and cool completely. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and 1/2 cup granulated sugar with a mixer on high speed for 2 minutes. Add ricotta and beat for another 2 minutes until a soft mass forms. Add amaretto, vanilla and almond extract, orange zest. Mix the resulting mixture well.
4. Combine the egg whites and the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in a separate bowl. Beat the mixture with a mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Using a rubber spatula, fold about 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the ricotta mixture, then gradually fold in the remaining egg whites. Spread the mixture over the prepared crust.
   
   Bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the filling is slightly set on top and golden brown. Run a knife around the edge of the pie to loosen it from the pan, remove the ring from the springform pan, and let the pie cool completely.
5. Mix powdered sugar with ground cinnamon and sprinkle over the cheesecake through a fine-mesh sieve. Top with 1/3 cup of the remaining toasted almonds and sprinkle with more powdered sugar and cinnamon. Serve warm.