Manouri Cheesecake With Wine Poached Peaches and Phyllo Cigars

ThatSouthernBelle's Note:

“The simplicity of Greek cuisine forces the use of fresh, flavorful ingredients, which then become the focus of the dish, rather than complex preparations and cooking techniques. At Trata” says owner Chris Georgou, “we want to introduce and expose ingredients that are not well known outsideof Greece. For instance, while everyone knows Feta cheese, Manouri cheese is not as well known, and we use it exclusively in our cheesecake recipe.” - Chef Chris Georgou of Trata. Prep time is a guess, Cook time is an approximation.

• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

For the cheesecake

• 2 tablespoons butter , melted
• 5 ounces graham crackers
• 4 cups manouri cheese
• 6 whole eggs
• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 pinch salt
• ¼ cup orange liqueur

For the poached peaches

• 5 fresh peaches , peeled, pitted and halved
• 15 greek dried figs
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 2 whole black peppercorns
• 2 cups greek sweet wine , such as Mavrodaphne

For the sesame cigar

• 2 sheets country-style phyllo dough
• 4 tablespoons walnuts , ground
• 4 tablespoons sesame seeds , ground
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon , ground
• ½ cup butter , melted

Directions:

1. Combine the melted butter and ground graham crackers on the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan and chill.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer whisk together all the.
4. remaining ingredients for the cheesecake.
5. Pour into the chilled springform pan and bake until set, about 1 1/4 hours.
6. While the cheesecake is baking, make the fruit topping: Poach the peaches and figs in the wine together with the spices until the figs soften.
7. Remove peaches and figs with a slotted spoon and strain the liquid.
8. Put back into a pot and simmer until reduced to a loose syrup consistency. Place the fruit back into the reduced wine.
9. Make the cigars: Place the first phyllo sheet in front of you, brush with butter and sprinkle with half the nut and sesame seed.
10. filling.
11. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and cinnamon and roll up along the horizontal end very tightly to get a thin cylinder.
12. Repeat with the second sheet and nut-sesame-seed mixture.
13. Bake on a buttered sheet pan until crisp and golden, remove, cool, and, using a serrated knife cut into 8 equal pieces.
14. When the cheesecake is set and golden, remove and cool.
15. Remove from the springform pan and cut into 8 slices.
16. To serve: top with the peach-wine mixture and garnish with a phyllo cigar.