Light and Luscious Strawberry Cheesecake With  Fresh Strawberry Sauce
Posted by Elaine  Fri, 21 May 2004, at 7:35 a.m.


1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons melted margarine or butter
1 carton (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup flour
4 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup nonfat light sour cream substitute
3 pint baskets California strawberries, stemmed
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup red currant jelly, melted

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In medium bowl mix crumbs and margarine. Press onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of lightly greased 9-inch springform pan; set aside. To make filling, in mixer bowl beat ricotta cheese until smooth. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar, the flour, egg yolks, lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Stir in sour cream substitute to blend thoroughly. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into cheese mixture. Pour into prepared crust; smooth top. Bake 1 hour. Turn off oven; cool in oven 1 hour with door ajar. Remove from oven; chill thoroughly. Meanwhile, to make sauce, in blender or food processor puree 2 baskets of the strawberries with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the lemon juice; strain sauce to remove seeds. Cover and chill. To complete cake, halve remaining strawberries; arrange on top of cake. Brush strawberries with jelly. Cut cake into wedges; serve with sauce.
Makes one 9-inch cheesecake (14 servings)