Nick Malgieri's Pizza Dolce di Ricotta

This most typical Italian dessert is often served as an Easter specialty in southern Italy.
The flavorings vary slightly according to the region and toasted slivered almonds, chopped chocolate and grated lemon and orange zest are sometimes included.
Pasta Frolla
3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
3 eggs, beaten

 Ricotta Filling
3 pounds ricotta
1 cup sugar
8 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons Anisette
1/4 cup finely diced citron
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided

 1.  For the Pasta Frolla, mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Rub butter in finely and  stir in beaten eggs.  Press and knead dough together, wrap inplastic and refrigerate until firm.

2.  For the Ricotta Filling, beat ricotta by hand until smooth. Stir in sugar, then eggs, one at a  time.  Stir in remaining ingredients, reserving half the cinnamon for the top of the Torta, being  careful not to overmix.

3.  To assemble, cut off 1/3 of the Pasta Frolla and reserve it. Roll the 2/3 of the dough into a 16-inch disk and line a buttered 12-inch cake pan with it.  Allow the dough to hang over the edge of the mold.  

4.  Pour in the Ricotta Filling and sprinkle it with the remaining1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.  

5.  Roll the remaining 1/3 of the dough into a rectangle and cut it into 10 1-inch wide strips.  Paint the strips with beaten egg.Moisten the rim of the dough on the pan with the beaten egg,and adhere 5 strips in each direction, forming a diagonal lattice.Trim away any excess dough even with the top of the pan and push the dough all around off the top rim of the pan so that it is completely within the pan.  

6. Bake at 350 degrees about 45 minutes.  Cool in the pan before unmolding.
 Instead of a 12-inch round pan, you can use a 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan.