Categories: Cheese, Desserts, Pies 
      Yield: 8 servings 
  
-----------------------------------CRUST----------------------------------- 
      2 c  Unbleached Flour 
    1/2 t  Salt 
      2 t  Sugar; Granulated 
      4 T  Butter; Chilled, * 
      3 T  Shortening; Chilled 
      5 T  Water; Cold 
 
----------------------------------FILLING---------------------------------- 
    1/2 c  Cottage Cheese 
      1 c  Heavy Cream 
    1/4 c  Cream Sherry 
      3    Eggs; Large 
      2    Egg Yolks, Large 
    1/3 c  Sugar; Granulated 
      2 T  Rosewater 
    1/2 t  Nutmeg; Grated 
    1/4 t  Cinnamon; Ground 
    1/4 c  Currants; Dried 
  
  *     DO NOT use margarine in this recipe. 
  ~------------------------------------------------------ 
  ~----------------- CRUST: 
  Sift together the flour, salt and sugar into a 
  medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the butter to the flour 
  all at once.  Mix together until well blended.  Then 
  add the shortening and continue to blend by cutting it 
  into the flour mixture.  The mixture will begin to 
  look like crumbs or small pebbles. It will have the 
  texture of oatmeal.  Sprinkle the water over the 
  dough, distributing it evenly throughout.  The dough 
  will be come sticky and cling together.  Gather it 
  into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap.  Chill for at 
  least 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 
   When the pastry has chilled, roll it out on a pastry 
  board to a thickness of 1/8-inch.  The easiest way is 
  to roll the dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper. 
   Roll the dough up onto the rolling pin and transfer 
  it to a 9-inch pie tin.  Gently press it into the tin 
  without stretching it.  Use the excess pastry to make 
  flutes or cut away the excess with a sharp knife or 
  scissors.  Prick the bottom of the pastry shell 
  thoroughly to prevent trapped air from bubbling the 
  dough.  Butter a sheet of aluminum foil and place the 
  foil down into the shell.  Weight it down with weights 
  or beans to keep the crust from lifting up.  Bake the 
  crust for 7 to 10 minutes then remove the weight and 
  the foil.  Return the crust to the oven and continue 
  baking for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the crust 
  is lightly browned.  If you have difficulty rolling 
  out the dough, do not reroll it; just patch the tears 
  or holes.  Rerolling will make the pastry tough. 
  FILLING: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Press the 
  cottage cheese through a sieve.  In a small saucepan, 
  gently heat the cream and the sherry until steamy, do 
  not allow it to scorch.  In a mixing bowl, beat 
  together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, rosewater, and 
  the spices until frothy -- about 5 minutes.  In a 
  large mixing bowl, beat the cottage cheese until it is 
  smooth then add the egg mixture and blend well.  Add 
  the hot cream and sherry slowly  to the cheese mixture 
  and beat until well blended.  Stir in the currants and 
  pour the mixture into the prepared crust.  Bake for 
  about 30 minutes, then allow to cool.  Chill and 
  sprinkle with cinnamon.