whipped ricotta Archives - Proud Italian Cook

Lemony Sweet Whipped Ricotta with Fresh Berries

February 2, 2022 by Marie 1 Comment

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

Transform ricotta into a super velvety texture by whipping it in a food processor.

Author: Marie

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

Add the drained ricotta into the bowl of a food processor and process till velvety smooth, could be up to 5 minutes.
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.
Process until all the flavors are all mixed together.
Layer with fresh berries and nuts.
You can make this a few hours in advance and keep in the fridge until dessert time.

1 Comment Filed Under: Desserts, Fruit Tagged: berries, low carb dessert, quick deesseert, ricotta, whipped ricotta

Summer Tomato Salad With Whipped Ricotta

August 23, 2020 by Marie 6 Comments

It’s late August and summer tomatoes are in major abundance, all vine ripened and at the height of their flavor. Tomato salads have been a consent in my house, I’m either buying them or having them dropped off at my house by family or friends who have gardens of their own and their crop is overflowing. Believe me I’m not complaining, fall will be here before we know it!

There’s some salads that just stick out in your mind, I’ll be dreaming about this one in the dead of winter. What’s so special about this salad besides the vine ripened juicy heirlooms gracing the top, is that the base of this salad is a layer of whipped ricotta which has a hint of lemon zest and herbs folded into it.

On top of the whipped ricotta there’s a salad layer of lemony arugula. One thing is certain, you must have crusty bread when you eat this! I’m telling you it’s a meal in itself!

You want to look for a dryer type ricotta, not one that has a lot of moisture, if that’s the only kind you can find then I would drain it for a couple of hours in a strainer.

Less than a minute in a food processor and the ricotta takes on a beautiful smooth consistency with a touch of olive oil drizzled in.

Parsley, basil and lemon zest was folded in for additional flavor.

Slice up some colorful heirlooms and mix them in with other varieties and use the best extra virgin olive oil you have.

I added some sliced red onion and olives to round it all out, it’s outrageous! Put this on a big platter and watch it disappear .

I hope you make this, but don’t forget the crusty bread please!

If you find yourself with an abundance of zucchini, here’s another use for whipped ricotta, I did a post on this a while ago, zucchini ribbon salad with whipped ricotta.

Summer Tomato Salad With Whipped Ricotta

Author: Marie

Ingredients

A variety of summer heirloom tomatoes, sliced. Enough to cover the ricotta. A variety of colors makes a nice presentation
2 cups ricotta, on the dryer side, if too wet drain it for a couple of hours
Good olive oil for drizzling and to add to the ricotta
the juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 cups arugula, roughly
sliced red onion
olives for plating
parsley and basil a heaping tablespoon each, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
a loaf of crusty bread

Instructions

FOR THE WHIPPED RICOTTA
Place ricotta into the bowl of a food processor and add in 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of olive oil, process for 30 seconds, or until smooth.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Scoop out into a bowl and fold in the zest and chopped herbs.
Toss the arugula with lemon juice and olive oil.
Spread whipped ricotta mixture onto a platter, drizzle top with olive oil, then topped with arugula salad, sliced tomatoes, sliced onions.
Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt, then a good drizzle of olive oil all over, place olives all around.
Place slices of crusty bread all around the platter.

6 Comments Filed Under: Salads, Summer Tagged: heirloom tomatoes, summer tomatoes, whipped ricotta

Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Whipped Ricotta

June 20, 2017 by Marie 4 Comments

In a few short weeks zucchini will be in abundance everywhere in my neck of the woods and probably yours as well, so I want ed you to be prepared to make this lovely Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Whipped Ricotta, so keep this recipe near by.

I’ve always loved the look of shaved ruffled ribbons of zucchini they look so elegant when placed on a platter, this salad is so pretty to serve to your family and friends, I guarantee everyone will be impressed.

It’s simple to prepare, you can make it on a whim and when all the different elements are put together the taste is truely incredible!

The contrast of colors between the green zucchini ribbons and the thinly sliced pink radishes makes it visually appealing and adds to the crunch factor. No need for any fancy gadgets to make this either, just a simple vegetable peeler will do the trick.

But what really takes this dish over the top is the whipped ricotta, ricotta when blended in a food processor takes on a luxurious texture, it’s creamy and dreamy and then if it couldn’t get any better it gets infused with lemon zest, fresh herbs and parmesan cheese, it’s a magical combination.

Feel free to add some ribbons of yellow squash as well for even more color contrast, I often do that.

The dressing is a simple lemon and olive oil dressing which compliments everything so well and it’s also topped off and finished with crunchy, toasted walnuts.

This salad screams summer, it’s fresh and light, bright and citrusy, filled with fresh herbs and crunch and it’s one of my absolute favorites on a hot summer day.

Start hording all the zucchini you can get so you can make this Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Whipped Ricotta.

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5.0 from 2 reviews

Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Whipped Ricotta

Author: Marie

Ingredients

3 large zucchini or 2 plus 1 yellow squash, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
4 radishes shaved thin with a mandoline or finely cut with a knife
2 large lemons, 1 for zest and the other for juice to use in the dressing, save a couple slices for garnish
2 cups ricotta cheese, try to purchase a dryer version verses a wet one you might find in liquid at a deli, the dryer the better
3 heaping tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese
fresh basil and parsley, finely chopped
toasted chopped walnuts
good olive oil
salt and pepper
FOR THE LEMON AND OLIVE OIL DRESSING;
1 part lemon juice to 3 parts olive oil, add some salt and pepper and whisk together

Instructions

Place ricotta into a food processor bowl and process until it's light and creamy about thirty seconds or so, then fold in the parmesan cheese, lemon zest and roughly two tablespoons each of finely chopped parsley and basil. Salt and pepper to taste.
Spread your ricotta mixture onto your favorite platter, drizzle with olive oil.
Make sure your ribbons are shaved as well as the radishes and are ready to go, toss them into a bowl adding some more chopped herbs then gently spoon some of the lemon and olive oil dressing all over tossing ever so lightly, being careful not to over soak the zucchini mixture, a little dressing goes a long way.
Arrange the zucchini nicely on top of the whipped ricotta, leaving an edge so the ricotta shows.
Sprinkle the toasted walnuts all over and arrange a few slices of lemon for garnish around the platter.
Enjoy!

4 Comments Filed Under: Salads, Side Dishes, Summer, Vegetables Tagged: whipped ricotta, zucchini, zucchini ribbons, zucchini salad

Grilled Pizza with Slow Roasted Tomatoes and Whipped Ricotta

May 17, 2016 by Marie 14 Comments

If you haven’t tried making grilled pizza yet I can honestly say you’re really missing out. Many people are intimidated by it, I was too when I first started making it a couple of years ago. I made many mistakes, especially when grilling the dough you have to get it just right in my opinion because it can make or break the whole pizza.

When grilled correctly the crust becomes crunchy with just the right amount of chew and the perfect platform for your toppings.

Speaking of toppings, for grilled pizza I wouldn’t use meat unless it’s been pre-cooked and sliced thin.

For me using veggies of any kind is the way to go, but again they should cooked and prepped first. Pizza made on the grill goes really fast, you have no time to cook a meat on top, after you crisp up the crust you’re basically waiting for the cheese to melt. Usually I’ll roast up some zucchini coins or thin slices of eggplant, mushrooms, peppers beforehand so I’m all ready when it comes to topping the pizza, you have to have all your toppings prepped and ready.

This time I decided I was going to use these beautiful heirloom tomatoes that I found which I had slow roasted a couple of days before. They’re basted with garlic and olive oil and slow roasted with fresh thyme or basil for four hours, I love having them tucked away in my fridge to use for appetizers or to top off a special dish or in this case grilled pizza, the flavor is out of this world.

This has now become my new favorite grilled pizza of all times!

My ingredients were: One ball of pizza dough, ( I get mine from a good Italian store, but you can make your own of course), fontina cheese, fresh mozzarella, whipped ricotta, basil and the slow roasted tomatoes.

I don’t like to grill one big pizza, I tried it many times but the crust never turns out the way it should. I like to cut my dough ball in half and make two pizzas. The dough needs to be at room temperature for best results otherwise it keeps springing back when your trying to spread it out and form it nice and even.

Brush both sides with olive oil, place them on a baking sheet and take them out to the grill.

Heat your grill up nice and hot, burn up any bits, your grill grates should be impeccably clean, then take a paper towel soaked in oil and wipe it all over your grates.

I have a gas grill with three burners, all are lit but kept at medium heat. Now place your dough onto the grill, and don’t touch it!

You’re going to see it start to bubble, that’s a good thing, let it bubble all around, now take your tongs, lift it and see how it’s doing, you can move it, turn it, but don’t flip it over!

You want to get it nice and crispy, only on one side for now.

When it looks like this take it off and put it on your baking sheet cooked side up,it’s time to put the toppings on. Remember, the underside is still not cooked.

You can tell the dough is cooked in the photo above, it’s not pale, it doesn’t look gummy or raw, it’s sort of crunchy and slightly hollow if you tap on it, and it’s sturdy enough to stand up to your ingredients.

I put the grated fontina down first, then cut and scattered my fresh mozzarella around, added the slow roasted tomatoes and fresh basil. The whipped ricotta goes on after the pizza is finished.

Go back out to your grill now and place the uncooked side down onto the grates, close the lid and let the cheese melt, keep checking so the crust doesn’t burn lifting it with your tongs, again you want it nice and crispy like the top with a firm feeling to it, not limp.

It only takes a few minutes so don’t walk away!

The bottom is now cooked and crispy, the cheese has melted, the tomatoes with the garlic oil have permeated the whole pizza and the basil just tops it all off.

But hold on we’re not done!

Time for the whipped ricotta, mix it up and place it in a zip bag, cut off the tip and squeeze fluffy dollops onto your pizza.

Just one bite and you’ll be smitten! There are no words…

Here’s the link to make the slow roasted tomatoes and whipped ricotta, now get grilling!

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14 Comments Filed Under: Pizza, Summer Tagged: Grilled pizza, slow roasted tomatoes, whipped ricotta

Whipped Ricotta with Slow Roasted Tomatoes

September 10, 2015 by Marie 19 Comments

Before all the beautiful summer tomatoes quickly disappear, promise me you’ll make this! This is like the grand finale of tomato season for me, because soon we’ll be into the cooler weather, fall type foods, but I guarantee come mid January you’ll be dreaming about this like I do.

This combination was meant to be together, like yin and yang, the perfect match.

Creamy, light, fluffy and decadent, whipped ricotta slathered onto extremely crunchy bread and topped with the most intensely flavored slow roasted tomatoes, I can barely talk, it’s that good!

Ingredients: Great tomatoes, the best bread you can find and good quality fresh ricotta.

Normally when I roast tomatoes I put the oven on 400, toss them with olive oil and quick roast for around 15 or 20 mins, but this is a different process, there’s nothing quick about it, you’ll have to give up your oven for at least four hours.

The slow process is exactly why they taste so darn special, sort of like the difference between quick frying onions verses the slow process of caramelizing them, there’s no comparison in taste.

You want to get them to the point where most of the moisture is gone but yet they’re still a little moist and limp.

Now lets talk about the whipped ricotta, I like to call it Italian Hummus, you can dip it, spread it, whatever you like. I’ve been obsessing about it ever since I tasted droplets of it on top of a pizza this summer.

So simple to make, just place some good quality ricotta into a food processor or a mixer and blend it until it has a smooth and creamy almost fluffy consistency with no lumps at all, you might need a few drops of cream or half and half to help smooth it out. You can then finish it off by folding in some fresh herbs of your choice like, oregano, chives, basil, maybe a little parmesan cheese if you want, salt and pepper of course, and finally a nice drizzle of olive oil on top, just like hummus. I used chives and basil in mine but it’s a blank canvas so make it your own.

Pile it on some of the best bread you can find, toasted of course, then top it with those luscious tomatoes.

Honestly, you can make a meal out of this, it’s that good.

One bite and you’ll be hooked!

5.0 from 5 reviews

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Make this, it will change your life!

Author: Marie

Ingredients

great tomatoes
fresh thyme
garlic infused olive oil
salt and pepper

Instructions

Heat oven to 250 degrees.
Slice tomatoes about a ¼ " thick, if cut too thin they will turn out like chips.
Place slices on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Brush each slice just on the top with olive oil that has been infused with one small crushed garlic clove.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper but be easy on the salt because it intensify's as it roasts and you don't want it to taste overly salty.
Spread fresh thyme leaves all over.
Place in oven and roast at that temp for 1 hour then reduce oven temp to 200 until tomatoes lose most of their moisture but are not completely dried out.
Mine took a total of 4 hours.
Store them single layer in an airtight container, in the fridge.