Sweet Onion And Ricotta Cheesecake With Cranberries And Sage

Directions

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Place the ricotta in a sieve and stand over a bowl or the sink. Leave to drain thoroughly while you cook the onions. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a low heat. Add the onions and cook gently, stirring frequently, until very soft, but not coloured. Add the garlic and sage and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Beat together the drained ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, salt and pepper (ideally in a food processor) until totally smooth. Stir in the onion mixture and cranberries and mix thoroughly. Brush a 22cm/8¼in spring form tin generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs evenly over the bottom and sides, then pour in the ricotta mixture and smooth the surface with a spatula. Garnish the top with whole sage leaves and drizzle a little olive oil over the top, especially over the sage leaves. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to an hour, until firm and golden. Leave to cool for about ten minutes, then transfer to a serving plate. Serve warm or cold.