Neapolitan Cheesecake

Ingredients

300 grams flour

1 egg yolk

150 grams sugar

salt

200 grams butter, chilled

1 egg white, lightly beaten

icing sugar

75 grams pearl barley, soaked overnight and drained

600 mls milk

350 grams curd cheese

2 egg yolks

150 grams castor sugar

250 grams crystallised fruits, coarsely chopped

zest of 1 lemon

cinnamon

2 tablespoons orange flower water or 1 tablespoon orange liqueur

Preparation

Put the pearl barley and milk into a pan bring to the boil cover and simmer gently until the pearl barley has absorbed all the milk about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, put the curd cheese into a bowl with the egg yolks and sugar and beat until smooth. Mix in the chopped crystallised fruits, grated lemon rind, a pinch of cinnamon and the orange flower water or orange liqueur. Finally, mix in the pearl barley. Cover and leave to stand for 1 hour.

To make the pastry, put the flour on a board, make a hollow in the centre, add the egg yolk and sprinkle with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Put the butter in flakes around the edge. Using a knife, chop all together, working from the outside inwards. Knead quickly with cool hands to form a smooth dough. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out two thirds of the pastry into a circle 28cm across. Roll out the remaining pastry into a circle 24cm across. Put the larger circle into a 24cm springclip tin (springform pan), pressing up the edges. Place the filling on this base smooth the surface and cover with the second circle of pastry pressing the pastry edges well together. Brush the top with beaten egg white.

Bake at I80 degrees C/350 degrees F/gas 4 for 1 hour. Take the tin out of the oven turn out the cheesecake put on a dish and allow to cool. Dust with sieved icing sugar.