Preheat oven to 340 °F (170 °C).
To make the crust
Pulse the cookies in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the cinnamon and the butter and mix until the cookie crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the mixture across the bottom and sides of a 11.02″ /28 cm spring-form pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes until it sets. Remove the pan from the oven and set it aside to cool.
To make the filling
In a heavy-bottomed pot add the milk, half sugar, and transfer over medium heat until it comes to a boil.
In a medium size bowl, add the semolina, the cornstarch, and rest of the sugar and mix. Add the eggs, cream cheese, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and mix very well with a hand whisk.
With a ladle, slowly add the hot milk from the pot into the bowl with the eggs, by constantly stirring. Add more milk while continuously whisking. You must add almost 1/3 of the milk in the bowl with eggs. Add the egg mixture into the pot again, transfer on heat, and stir constantly until the cream thickens.
Remove from the heat, add the butter, and mix until it melts.
Pour the batter on top of the crust. Bake for about 45 minutes on the rack just below the middle of the oven.
Remove the pan from the oven and set it outside on a wire rack until completely cool. Remove the spring-form, cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Serve plain or with strawberry or cherry pie filling or with topping of your choice.
