| MANGIA BENE PASTA |
| Ricotta Cheesecake |
| (Serves 12-14) |
| 5 oz. biscotti (any flavor) |
| 4 TB. butter, melted |
| 1 (15-oz.) container whole milk ricotta |
| 2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature |
| 3/4 cup sugar |
| 1/4 cup honey |
| 1 TB. orange zest |
| 2 tsp. vanilla |
| 4 eggs |
| Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. |
| Put the ricotta in a strainer over a bowl to remove excess water. |
| Wrap foil under the bottom and about 2-inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. |
| In a food processor, grind the biscotti until fine. |
| Add the melted butter and process until the mixture is well moistened. |
| Press the biscotti crumb mixture on the bottom of the springform pan. |
| Bake 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. |
| Cool on a wire rack. |
| In a clean food processor bowl, blend the drained ricotta until smooth. |
| Add the cream cheese and sugar and blend well. |
| Add the honey, orange zest, and vanilla and blend well. |
| Add the eggs and blend well. |
| Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. |
| Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. |
| Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. |
| Bake for 65 minutes, or until the cheesecake is golden. |
| The center of the cake will still move slightly when the pan is gently shaken. |
| Transfer the cake to a wire rack and allow to cool for 1 hour. |
| Run the blade of a knife around the inside of the cake pan to loosen. |
| Remove the springform band. |
| Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold before serving. |
| Cheesecake will keep well for several days if refrigerated. |
| This is an absolutely delicious, creamy but light, cheesecake. If you have never been a fan of ricotta cheesecakes because they are too dry or not as creamy as the traditional all cream cheese cake give this one a try. It is our favorite cheesecake. We use chocolate-chip biscotti for the crust but you can use any flavor that you like. It is so flavorful you don't need any fruit or sauce topping. |