This springtime pastry is a cross between a fruit pie and a cheesecake.

Adapted from Silvery Moon Creamery at Smiling Hill Farm.

Pastry
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅜ cup sugar
pinch salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
⅜ cup Smiling Hill Farm butter, softened

Filling
1 pound rhubarb stalks, chopped into ½-inch pieces
3 eggs, separated
1 pound Silvery Moon Creamery Cream Cheese
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Grease a 9-inch pie pan. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Prepare the pastry. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add vanilla, egg, and butter. Knead together by hand or with an electric mixer with a kneading hook until dough comes together to form a ball.
3. Transfer dough to a floured work surface and roll into a circle big enough to line the prepared pie pan. Press dough into the pan and prick the surface with a fork several times. Prebake crust for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and lower temperature to 325°F.
4. Prepare the filling. Place rhubarb into prebaked pie shell.
5. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff. Set aside. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to blend together egg yolks, cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Beat until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to fold the beaten egg whites into the cream cheese mix. Pour the mixture over the rhubarb in the pie shell.
6. Bake until top is golden brown and a tester comes out clean, about 60 to 75 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 8 to 10 servings