Savory Baked Ricotta Cheese Dip

February 11, 2022 by 10 Comments

dip and crackers

If you’re looking for a warm dip that’s perfect for game day, a special occasion or just a snack at anytime, look no further, my savory baked ricotta cheese dip is the one for you!

It’s warm and creamy, filled with cheese and herbs, a touch of garlic and a bit of cherry tomatoes for extra added flavor. It’s a recipe I guarantee you’ll want to double or triple.

ricotta dip

Decorate the top like an Italian hummus with more herbs, olive oil, red pepper flakes to enhance every scoop. You can serve it with toasted baguette slices, fresh veggies or your favorite crackers, it’s all good.

baked ricotta

A nice shallow baking dish works well for this because it gives you a nice surface to spread the cheese onto and to put on your toppings.

Whip up this savory baked ricotta cheese dip for a special treat!

Savory Baked Ricotta Cheese Dip
 
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Game day, special occasion or just a delicious snack, this dip is the one for you, you'll definitely want. to double or triple the recipe!
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Ingredients
  • 1½ cups. of ricotta, if too liquidy drain in a strainer over a bowl for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup of grated romano or parmesan cheese
  • 5 or 6 sliced cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon each chopped basil and parsley
  • zest of half a lemon
  • 1 grated galic clove
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • OPTIONAL, you can add some sliced olives if you like, extra chopped herbs for the top, red pepper flakes, more parmesan or romano and olive oil of course
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F. then. oil a shallow baking dish.
  2. In a bowl hand whip til smooth and incorporated the ricotta, egg, grated cheese, basil, parsley, garlic, zest then fold in the sliced cherry tomatoes.
  3. Bake for 20 minutes or until set.
  4. I like to finish it under the broiler for a minute or two to get it nice and golden.
  5. Decorate the top with more herbs, red pepper flakes, (optional) a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of grated cheese.
  6. Serve warm with crostini toasts, crackers or fresh veggies.
  7. I highly recommend doubling or tripling this recipe!

 

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10 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers, Party Foods Tagged: , , , ,

Lemony Sweet Whipped Ricotta with Fresh Berries

February 2, 2022 by 2 Comments

berries and ricotta

If. you’re looking for a quick, no bake very impressive dessert, this is the one for you. Sweet whipped ricotta with fresh berries. When ricotta is whipped, by means of a food processor it becomes very creamy and velvety and takes on a whole new life and then layered with fresh berries it becomes the perfect dessert.

You can sweeten it up with different sugars, zests, extracts and juices and even a little liquor if you like.

triple berries

A light and healthy dessert using fresh berries of your choice, it’s low in carbs and so quick to make.

processing ricotta

You’ll want to use good quality whole milk ricotta and if you get it from a deli it’s usually holding on to some liquid and if that’s the case you’ll want to drain it overnight in the fridge with some cheesecloth or a fine strainer over a bowl, at least for a couple of hours then you’ll be good to go.

I used a little limoncello and lemon zest for mine but lemon extract or juice plus zest is wonderful as well.

whipped ricotta

Don’t be afraid to give it a good processing, up to five minutes because you want that creamy, velvety texture.

lemon whipped ricotta

You can make your sweet whipped ricotta a few hours ahead and store it in the fridge until dessert time

berries and ricotta

You can serve it parfait style with multiple layers or simply the way I did, I highly suggest adding some nuts to top it off. Enjoy this simple, elegant light dessert!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Lemony Sweet Whipped Ricotta with Fresh Berries
 
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Transform ricotta into a super velvety texture by whipping it in a food processor.
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Ingredients
  • 1 lb. whole milk ricotta, drained of liquid if "wet" by using a cheese cloth or fine strainer overnight in the fridge
  • ⅓ cup of sugar, either powdered or regular
  • Zest of a lemon
  • Additional flavors ( at this point taste for sweetness and lemon flavor, you can add some lemon juice or a little lemon extract,( start out small) or even limoncello liquor, start with a small amount and taste to your liking.
  • Assorted mixed fresh berries
  • nuts for garnish
Instructions
  1. Add the drained ricotta into the bowl of a food processor and process till velvety smooth, could be up to 5 minutes.
  2. Add the sugar, zest, and any flavorings, then taste to your liking. Feel free to sub in orange zest and juice if you prefer that over lemon.
  3. Process until all the flavors are all mixed together.
  4. Layer with fresh berries and nuts.
  5. You can make this a few hours in advance and keep in the fridge until dessert time.

 

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Savory Vegetable Ricotta Tart

January 20, 2022 by 3 Comments

veg tart

A savory vegetable tart that features creamy ricotta studded with fresh spinach, roasted butternut squash and red onions that are packed into a crispy phyllo crust.

First of all don’t let phyllo pastry scare you, it’s so forgiving, you could accidentally rip or tear it and no one would know the difference, it hides imperfections beautifully. I use to be afraid of it, in fact I did a post about it here. That being said there’s always a box sitting in my freezer now for sweet and savory dishes.

creamy ricotta

Besides phyllo dough the other important element to this tart is a good quality ricotta. I always buy mine in the deli section of my Italian grocer and it usually has  some watery liquid that clings to it when they scoop it out for you. You’ll want to drain the ricotta for a couple of hours or even overnight, you’d be surprised how much liquid comes out, this should be done to ensure your ricotta tart doesn’t bake up soggy.

savory tart

Honestly you can top your tart with any roasted vegetables of your choice, I chose butternut squash because it’s perfect this time of year. You can also tailor this tart to what veggies are in season and what goes together well, like I did here with spring vegetables.

ricotta veggie tart

The creamy ricotta compliments the crunch factor of the phyllo crust with every single bite. You’ll love this tart for lunch, brunch or dinner with a green salad on the side, enjoy!

Savory Vegetable Ricotta Tart
 
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Creamy vegetable ricotta filled tart with a crunchy phyllo crust
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Ingredients
  • 4 cups good quality ricotta, drained of any excess liquid
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 a nice handful of fresh chopped spinach
  • 3 small garlic cloves grated
  • ½ cup grated pecorino or parmigiano
  • 1 generous cup of shredded provolone or shredded mozzarella
  • 1 medium butternut squash, diced and 2 red onions sliced
  • 8 sheets of. phyllo pastry, defrost according to package directions
  • olive oil
  • fresh thyme
  • olive oil spray for ease of coating the phyllo
  • tart pan with removable bottom, I used a rectangle pan 11-1/2 x 7 -1/2
Instructions
  1. Peel, dice and roast the squash at 400F til slightly golden and tender on a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little fresh thyme ( you'll definitely have extra leftover). Slice your onions leaving root in tact so they stay together when roasting.
  2. In a large bowl add the ricotta, eggs, spinach, garlic, pecorino and shredded provolone and mix it all up very well to a smooth consistency, add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Spray or oil your tart pan, then one by one add a sheet of phyllo, spraying or brushing oil on each one as you go, layer by layer into your tart pan, at the same time being careful to cover the remaining sheets with a damp cloth so they don't dry out.
  4. When all the layers of phyllo are completed and oiled and into the tart pan, spread the ricotta mixture all over evenly.
  5. Top the ricotta with your roasted vegetables evenly spacing it all over. (I'm sure you'll have some extra squash leftover.)
  6. Tuck the ends of the phyllo all around the ricotta and tart pan.
  7. Spray or oil the crust all around.
  8. Add some fresh thyme, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of pecorino all around.
  9. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and roast at 400F for around 30 or so minutes until ricotta is set and the crust is deep golden.
  10. Let it cool down before cutting into it.

 

 

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