48 replies to this topic

[lmarshal1]

I have a pound container of ricotta cheese that needs to be used. I bought it for lasagna but am not in the mood to make it. How can I use the cheese for supper tonight? Thanks. lkm

[albiston]

I have a pound container of ricotta cheese that needs to be used.  I bought it for lasagna but am not in the mood to make it.  How can I use the cheese for supper tonight?  Thanks.  lkm

A few simple ideas:

- use it to dress some pasta: mix 2-3 tablespoons of ricotta per person, with plenty of freshly crushed pepper, a nice handfull of grated parmesan and dilute with some pasta cooking water till it has a thick sauce-like consistence. Not enough to finish all the ricotta though.

- Buy some bread or pizza dough (or make some yourself) and use it to make ricotta calzoni. You can play with size, filling and cooking method (baking or deep frying). A few filling ideas: ricotta, pepper and parmesan (similar to the above); ricotta, pepper, diced italian salami or sausage, and mozzarella; ricotta and chopped greens.

- make the classical filling for tortelli alle erbette and either use it straightaway or freeze it. Ricotta (about one pound), an egg, about 100 grams parmesan (3-4 oz), about a pound cooked and finely chopped greens (I use spinach or Swiss chard leaves) and nutmeg. Great for filling crepes too.

- Use it to make dessert: mix the ricotta with enough cocoa to turn the whole thing dark brown, add sugar to taste and maybe a little marsala, rum, or flavored schnaps for an audult version. You can also make a crostata (Italian tart) with it, but you'll need sweet pate brisee or sweet shortcut pastry. To make crostata: layer a shallow tart pan or ring with the pastry roleed not too thin (1/4 in), add one egg to the above mixture, though not everyone does, and pour it in the uncooked crust, decorate the top with the typical crostata lattice of pastry stripes, and bake (350F) for 25-35 minutes till the pastry is golden brown and the filling shows a few tiny cracks.

If you need more Idea I could give it a further thought

[slkinsey]

Make ricotta gnocchi. Everyone thinks you can only make gnocchi with potatoes, but it ain't so. Ricotta gnocchi are delicious and easy to make. Just drain the ricotta well if it's a little watery, put in a few egg yolks and maybe a few gratings of nutmeg, then enough flour tomake it come together. Shape and cook as usual for gnocchi.

[ludja]

ricotta gnocchi or a savory ricotta pie

Austrian ricotta dumplings (sweet, but often eaten as a meatless meal, with a fruit sauce or compote).

[lmarshal1]

Thanks for the suggestions. The savory pie sounds especially good and the calzoni and gnocchi too! The ricotta/cocoa dessert is a new one to me and sounds very tasty. Thanks all. lkm

[little ms foodie]

We are making our own ricotta this week so these ideas are great! Anyone else with favorites for using ricotta??

[shelora]

I worked in a restaurant where we froze any ricotta we couldn't use. It didn't seem to make a difference in the recipes we made. Personally I'm not a big proponent of freezing food, but it could offer you a way out of cooking the ricotta right away.

[lmarshal1]

I can't tell much difference in it after it has been frozen either. lkm

[Nathan P.]

Yesterday I broiled some eggplant slices and then layered with ricotta with a bit of parmesan and parsley. Made pretty little towers and plated with a tomato sauce.

I also made some candied orange peel which I blended into my leftover ricotta. I fomred it into quenelles and then sprinkled some crushed spanish turron on them. A drizzle of warm honey and a bit of balsamic vinegar made a nice dessert.

[Macarons&Mozart]

A good, rich ricotta (esp. homemade like little ms foodie's) makes a wonderful dessert when mixed with sugar and served with pistachios and/or almonds, and some fresh fruit. Honey is good too...

[Arghavan]

I would second ricotta gnocchi. Also ricotta pancakes are one of my favourites that can be served for both breakfast and dessert. They are the fluffiest pancakes ever.

bbc food

the other option would be baked ricotta which can be both sweet and savoury.

[Kevin72]

Ricotta makes an excellent binder for fritters. Mix in whatever you've got sitting around that you'd like to toss in, some grated parmigiano or pecorino, an egg or two, roll in breadcrumbs, and deep fry.

I made ricotta gelato once and it was unbelievably good. Can't remember the recipe though.

[curlywurlyfi]

- toss through hot pasta with diced fresh tomato, torn basil, EVOO, s+p, microplaned garlic

- ricotta + spinach filo pie (lots of nutmeg, couple of eggs, bit of Parmesan)

[Staximo]

"Entrée": Torta Pasqualina
- a layer of dough in a round cake pan (phillo, puff pastry or simple dough made with flour, water, olive oil and salt)
- a layer of ricotta + spinach + parmigiano
- make some holes in the filling, one egg in each hole, salt and pepper on each egg
- cover with another layer of dough
- cook in oven until golden brown

"Dessert":
- a slice of toasted bread
- a layer of ricotta
- a layer of honey (lavender honey will be great!)

[Dejah]

South Beach diet dessert:

1/2 cup ricotta, 1 tsp coco powder, 1 packet of artificial sweetner, 1/8 tsp fresh ground expresso coffee( I like more), chopped almonds. I add a little skim milk to smooth it out as it swirls in my mini blender. Hubby likes it frozen; I prefer it well chilled.

You can also make it with almond flavouring in place of coco and expresso.

[cjsadler]

Ricotta mousse is nice, especially flavored with orange blossom water. Whip the ricotta with sugar (about 1/4 cup to 1 cup of ricotta), then whip an equal part cream (and sugar) and fold in. Serve over fresh berries. Simple, but very good in the summer.

[little ms foodie]

OMG! I am going to have to make a lot of ricotta! This all sounds so good!

[Toasted]

Mark Bittman has a recipe that uses ricotta to make a paneer type cheese. I think you just drain it a little, dump it in a greased pan- smoothing it out of course, and then bake till firm. After it cools you can brown it in oil just like paneer. My cookbooks are packed away at the moment but I'm fairly sure it's in the "How to Cook Everything" cookbook.

[daniellewiley]

I make a white pizza with homemade ricotta, pine nuts, carmelized onions, olive oil, sometimes some minced garlic and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

[ludja]

Ricotta ice cream--the texture and flavor are just great!

[kellytree]

cake-

dump the ricotta in a bowl - add 2 eggs- a couple tablespoons of sugar-
something to make it rise a little bit, a pinch of salt, grated lemon peel and enough flour to make it into a heavy cake batter

Plop it in a greased pan and bake it.

You can also put dried grated coconut instead of the flour (or half and half)

[little ms foodie]

first homemade ricotta dish- whipped with sugar, honey and a bit of vanilla. served with fresh blueberries

[Pat W]

This thread now has me dreaming about ricotta. Unfortunately (actually it's more tragic than unfortunate) there is no good ricotta available where I live. We used to be able to at least get Frigo, but the stores here no longer carry it.

So please forgive the dumb question, but how do you make your own?

pat with tummy rumbling & eyes filled with tears of longing....

[little ms foodie]

1 gallon of whole milk and a pinch of salt heat to 185F, 1/4 c. cold water and 1 tsp citric acid dissolved. When the milk hits 185F stir in the dissolved acid and skim off any foam that rises. Turn off heat and let sit for 10 mins. Pour into a strainer lined with cheesecloth and let drain. viola!

[Pat W]

1 gallon of whole milk and a pinch of salt heat to 185F, 1/4 c. cold water and 1 tsp citric acid dissolved. When the milk hits 185F stir in the dissolved acid and skim off any foam that rises. Turn off heat and let sit for 10 mins. Pour into a strainer lined with cheesecloth and let drain. viola!

Many thanks Wendy. I'm pumped about trying this. At the risk of wearing out my welcome.... citric acid... How do I find it? A Google search didn't help me much. All the other variables are in place.

pat

[racheld]

Our favorite strawberry-season dessert (or dip for any fruit) is ricotta smoothed into a wide plate or wide shallow bowl. Sprinkle the top with a nice layer of turbinado sugar (the crackly, shiny, golden kind, sold at Sam's as Sugar in the Raw).

It's just heavenly, the contrast of a bite of luscious fruit, covered in the creamy, rich cheese with little sparkles of crunchy sweet sugar all through it. And after it sits a while during the winding-down of the evening, when everyone is still lingering over coffee or brandy, the sugar gently melts into golden pools and runnels of the most delicious syrup, dripping from each spoon of cheese.

And there's a scrumptiously ethereal (Sicilian? Italian?) dessert made with pound cake slices which are used to line a bowl, brushed with Amaretto, then filled like a layered bombe with first: Stiffly whipped cream with powdered sugar, almond extract and toasted sliced almonds...smooth that up the sides in the shape of the bowl. Then fill the center with: More whipped cream mixed with powdered sugar, melted chocolate, ricotta and more sliced almonds. Fit more cake slices over the top; chill 4 to 8 hours, unmold, dust with powdered cocoa, slice.

And, Wendy---what is the final amount after draining?

[memesuze]

citric acid...  How do I find it? 

vitamin C powder - from your local natural foods store, or drugstore

[Pat W]

citric acid...  How do I find it? 

vitamin C powder - from your local natural foods store, or drugstore

Duh! I didn't realize she meant that citric acid. I was expecting something complicated & mysterious that had to be shipped in from afar. Thank you for clearing that up.

Slinking away in embarrassment, pat

[little ms foodie]

1 gallon of milk yeilds about 1/2 lb. of cheese.

I think this week we may try a nice ricotta cheese cake

[Kevin72]

Many thanks Wendy.  I'm pumped about trying this.  At the risk of wearing out my welcome.... citric acid...  How do I find it? 
pat

Lemon juice or even a tablespoon or two of white wine vinegar will do, as well.