The Sicilian Ricotta Cheese Cake is a classic desert made by many Italian grandmothers and aunts. If you have not had a piece of Sicilian Ricotta Cheese Cake, then you have to make this and taste it. You will be happy you did. 

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 32 ounces ricotta cheese, drained
  
• 1 orange (for 2 teaspoons orange zest/grated rind)
  
• ⅓ cup flour
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 6 eggs
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 18 graham crackers (2 packets from a 14 oz box)
  
• 1 stick butter
  

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
   
2. Generously grease a springform pan with butter.
   
3. For graham cracker crust, crush graham crackers in food processor until consistency of bread crumbs; stir with melted butter until mixture holds shape when squeezed. If needed, add a little more melted butter.
   
4. Firmly press graham cracker “crust” into bottom and along bottom sides of spring form pan; set aside.
   
5. Sift together flour and sugar in small mixing bowl.
   
6. In medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese and orange zest. Slowly fold in flour mixture with spatula until well blended and smooth.
   
7. Add eggs, one at a time, continuing to blend with spatula. Stir in vanilla extract.
   
8. Pour batter into spring form pan and gently smooth top with spatula.
   
9. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until cake is firm all the way to top center. Cool completely and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set.
   

Recipe from GarlicGirl.com



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From Italy Magazine...

Even if you're just on vacation in Italy, you may need to go grocery shopping at the supermarket - andare a fare la spesa. So here's a helpful vocabulary guide of terms you may see once inside the supermarket - supermercato. 

Food products can be found along the corsie (aisles), on the scaffali (shelves). You will put them inside the carrello (shopping cart), or, if you're not buying a lot, the cestino (shopping basket). 

Food products are divided according to type:

Prodotti per la casa - household items

Prodotti da forno (merendine, biscotti, pane, crackers, ecc.) - baked goods (snacks, cookies, bread, crackers, etc.)

Pasta e riso – Pasta and rice

Prodotti in scatola (fagioli, passata di pomodoro, tonno, ecc.) - canned goods (beans, tomato sauce, tuna, etc.)

Condimenti (olio di oliva, aceto, origano, peperoncino, ecc.) – dressings and spices (olive oil, vinegar, oregano, red pepper, etc.)

Latte e latticini (yogurt, formaggi) – Milk and dairy products

Prodotti surgelati – frozen foods

Frutta e verdura – fruit and vegetables

Carne – meat

Pesce - seafood

Salumi e formaggi freschi – deli counter

Bevande (vino, birra, bibite gassate) – beverages (wine, beer, sodas)

Acqua – water

Once you’re done with la spesa, you proceed to la cassa (checkout counter), where la cassiera or il cassiere (cashier) will scan your items and ask you, vuole una sportina/le sportine (do you want a bag/bags)? Remember that in Italy bags are not free to encourage reusable shopping bags.

Then you pay, either in contanti, cash, or con la carta (by credit card), the cashier will give you your scontrino (receipt) and you say goodbye.

Grazie, arrivederci.