Passover Cottage Cheese Cake

• For the crust
• butter, softened↗1 1⁄2 cups
• matzo meal↗1 1⁄4 cups
• sugar↗2 tablespoons
• cinnamon↗1⁄8 teaspoon
• sweet red wine↗2 tablespoons
• For the filling
• cream-style cottage cheese, sieved↗1 cup
• cream cheese, softened↗8 ounces
• large eggs, separated, at room temperature↗3
• sugar↗2⁄3 cup
• sour cream↗1 cup
• potato starch↗1 tablespoon
• grated orange rind↗1 tablespoon
• vanilla↗1⁄4 teaspoon

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Set oven rack at middle of oven; preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. 2

   Prepare the crust:.

3. 3

   In a small bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add matzo meal, sugar and cinnamon; beat until it resembles coarse meal. Add wine, blend just until it holds together.

4. 4

   Press onto bottom (and partly up the sides) of an ungreased 8 inch springform pan.

5. 5

   Prepare the filling:.

6. 6

   In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cottage cheese and cream cheese until smooth.

7. 7

   Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.

8. 8

   Beat in sugar. Add sour cream, potato starch, rind and vanilla; beat until combined well.

9. 9

   In a separate bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks.

10. 10

    Stir ½ cup of the beaten egg whites into the cheese mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites gently but thoroughly.

11. 11

    Pour on top of prepared crust.

12. 12

    Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven; let cake cool in oven with door slightly open.

13. 13

    Chill in the pan at least 4 hours or overnight.

14. 14

    Run a thin knife around edge of pan; remove side of pan.