I must have been born Greek in a previous lifetime. I love everything about their cuisine, especially their Feta cheese; not to mention their history, people, culture, climate, and landscape—I could go on and on… Anyway, I was off from work yesterday, but went in because this is the only time that I have to play around with dessert ideas.  So I decided to make Feta Cheesecake with Kourabiedes Crust and Figs Poached in Port Wine.

Kourabiedes cookies are traditional Greek almond cookies dusted with powdered sugar which are served during festive occasions, and this is what I used to make the crust for my cheesecake. To start, roll out the Kourabiedes dough thinly and bake for about 10–15 minutes. Cool completely and then add to a food processor and pulse to a fine grain.  In a bowl add your cookie crumbs and moisten with melted butter and then press into the cheesecake mold and bake for about 10 minutes until set.

Next, follow any standard cheesecake recipe, but reduce the amount of cream cheese and substitute with a good quality Greek Feta (goat or sheep milk) cheese. I recommend the ratio of feta to cream cheese to be 1 part feta to 2 parts cream cheese. I sometimes find cheesecake to be too sweet, but the feta cheese adds a really nice tang to balance out the sweetness. However, since feta is not as creamy as cream cheese, it’s really important to strain the mixture before adding it to your mold or pan prior to baking to remove any lumps.

Finally, use a good port wine and reduce slowly with vanilla bean, lemon juice and a small amount of sugar. Add sliced dried figs (or fresh when in season) and poach until soft. Plate cheesecake, drizzle with port sauce and dust with powdered sugar and enjoy.  Now, if only I were eating this at an Estiatorio in Greece!