Gold Brick Ricotta Cheesecake
   by Amy Rabb-Liu

(This is a dense, very yummy, fresh cheesecake.)

10 oz biscotti (plain, with a little bit of anise or nuts)
1 stick of butter, melted

2 small containers of ricotta from our farmer's market
12 eggs (medium?)
2 cups of sugar, or a little more or less
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
zest of about 1/2 lemon 

You will need a 10 1/2 inch springform pan with sides at least 3 inches high.

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Grind the biscotti into crumbs in a food processor. Mix with the butter,
and press into the bottom and part way up the sides of the pan.  Bake for 
about 10-15 minutes.  Let cool on a rack.  Wrap the outside of the pan
in two layers of foil (to catch any leaking or oozing when you bake the
filled crust later.)

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Put all the rest of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.  
Mix at medium speed until everything is well blended and smooth.  
Pour into prepared crust.  Bake for about 90 minutes (but start 
checking it at one hour).  It is done when the center is jiggly, 
but not liquid.  The top will be browned.

When done cooking, remove from oven and let cool on a rack for 
about 20 minutes.  Put in refrigerator for at least 6 hours.  
Serve thin wedges!  

Could serve up to 20 people, especially if there are also some 
cookies or something else good on the dessert table.


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