Ingredients

makes 8 servings

　　3 1/2 cups fresh or packaged whole-milk ricotta cheese

　　1/2 cup raisins

　　3 tablespoons dark rum

　　Butter, at room temperature for greasing pan

　　1/4 cup fine, dry bread crumbs, or as needed

　　5 large eggs, separated

　　3/4 cup sugar

　　Pinch salt

　　Grated zest of 1 large lemon

　　Grated zest of 1 large orange

　　1/2 cup heavy cream

　　1/2 cup pine nuts

　　

Step 1

Spoon the ricotta into a large fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth or basket-type coffee filter. Set the sieve over a bowl and cover the ricotta well with plastic wrap. Drain in the refrigerator at least overnight, or up to 24 hours. Discard the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.

　　

Step 2

Soak the raisins in rum in a small bowl, tossing occasionally, until the raisins are softened and have absorbed most of the rum, 1 to 2 hours.

　　

Step 3

Smear an 8-inch spring form pan with enough softened butter to coat lightly. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the butter to coat generously. Shake out the excess crumbs. Preheat the oven to 375° F.

　　

Step 4

Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and salt with a whisk in a large bowl until pale yellow. Add the drained ricotta and lemon and orange zest, and beat until blended thoroughly. Beat in the heavy cream. Fold in the pine nuts and the raisins and rum with a rubber spatula. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl with a handheld electric mixer or wire whisk until they form firm peaks when the beater is lifted from them. Fold about one-fourth of the egg whites into the ricotta mixture to lighten it. Use a large rubber spatula to scrape the batter from the bottom of the bowl up and over the whites. Fold in the remaining egg whites in the same way. Pour the ricotta mixture into the prepared pan, and bake until the cake is golden brown on top and set in the center, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Cool the cake completely before removing the sides of the pan. Serve the cake at room temperature or chilled.

　　From Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright © 2001 by A La Carte Communications and Tutti a Tavola, LLC. Published by arrangement with Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.Buy the full book from Amazon.