This is the story of one of the most unexpected, popular desserts that stemmed from our Female Foodie Rome Tour, a food-focused tour hosted by yours truly in Rome every year. During one of our tours in 2023, after dining at one of our favorite restaurants, Osteria da Fortunata, I made the executive decision to order Italian cheesecake for all of the guests. It wasn’t that cheesecake was the most exciting option on the menu. In all honesty, I picked it because all of the other options (typical Italian desserts like panna cotta, tiramisu, etc.) were already integrated into other meals throughout the week.
I asked the waitstaff if the cheesecake was homemade and if I could take a peek in the kitchen (they said yes to both) and decided that serving this homemade cheesecake with fresh berry topping would be a good dessert choice following our carbonara and burrata-filled lunch.
Little did I know that women not just from this tour, but from every single tour to follow wouldn’t just love this cheesecake, but rave about it. Many exclaimed it to be the best cheesecake they had ever eaten and described it as “light”, “not too heavy”, and “absolutely delicious”. And as I sat with guests earlier this spring and interrogated the staff as to what was in this “Italian” cheesecake, I was able to come up with a short ingredient list: digestive cookies, butter, and three types of dairy—mascarpone, “Philadelphia”, and panna (heavy cream).
So this is just that—my at-home stab at this beloved and unexpected hit of a dessert. It’s easy to make, rather large (just like the cheesecake at Osteria da Fortunata), and requires zero baking, making it the perfect summer dessert. If you’ve been to Osteria da Fortunata and enjoyed this cheesecake, or been on one of our Female Foodie Rome Tours, I’d love it if you try this recipe and let me know what you think (it’s pretty darn close in my opinion!).
More Delicious & Easy Desserts
Servings: 12 servings
Total Time: 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Difficulty: Easy
Often exclaimed as “the best cheesecake I’ve ever eaten”, this no-bake Italian cheesecake is light, “not too heavy”, and absolutely delicious.
Pulse the Nilla Wafers in a food processor until small cookie crumbs are formed. To the food processor, add melted butter and salt to the wafer crumbs (start with roughly ½ cup of the melted butter—you may not need all of it), pulsing everything together, until the buttered crumbs stay together when squeezed with your hands. Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the springform pan, distributing evenly, and refrigerate for one hour.
Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment whip together the mascarpone, cream cheese, and vanilla bean paste until completely smooth. Use a spatula to scrape and transfer mixture into a separate bowl, wipe down the bowl with a paper towel to completely clean out, and using the same bowl whip the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar together until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream until combined.
Gently spoon the prepared cheesecake filling into the chilled crust, using an offset spatula to make a flat surface on the top. Refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight to allow the cheesecake to set.
Combine 3 cups of the fresh fruit with sugar to taste and allow berries to macerate for 10-15 minutes. When ready to serve, cut the cheesecake into slices and serve with berries and accompanying macerated juices on top.
9-inch springform pan
food processor
Stand mixer
offset spatula
This recipe was developed for a springform pan because the original cheesecake at Osteria da Fortunata is quite large and served in generous slices to customers. If you do not have a 9-inch springform, you may use a pie plate (or two) or another vessel for the cheesecake, adjusting the quantities as necessary so you don’t have too much crust or filling.
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Dining and Cooking