Simple Low-Fat Cheesecake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 the lemon, zest of
2 eggs
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups 5% fat ricotta cheese or 2 cups Quark

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F.
Melt the butter in the pan in which the cheesecake is to be baked (8\"x8\".) Remove it from the heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs, until the butter is evenly distributed and the mixture is crumbly.
Press it evenly and firmly along the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350\u00b0F.
Reduce the heat to 325\u00b0F.
Allow the crust to cool.
Meanwhile, put the sugar and the flour in a large mixing bowl with the salt.
Grate the lemon zest and add it to the sugar and flour.
Beat the eggs into the sugar.
Add the lemon juice, then the buttermilk, and lastly beat in the ricotta cheese. Occasionally if the cheese is very dry and crumbly I have a hard time beating it in smoothly; in that case I put it in the food processor and process for 5 minutes or so until the mixture is very smooth.
Pour the batter into the crust and bake for 1 hour at 325\u00b0F.
Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Good plain or with a fruit topping.