Baked Ricotta With Roasted Tomatoes Food

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES WITH HERBED RICOTTA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, scallions, dill, chives, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside for up to 30 minutes.
• With a small serrated knife, cut the larger tomatoes in wedges through the stem and the smaller tomatoes in half through the stem. Place them in a medium bowl with the garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside.
• When ready to serve, add the basil to the tomatoes and combine. Pile the ricotta in a large (12-inch) round shallow bowl or oval platter. Using a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes around the ricotta, discarding any liquid. Drizzle the tomatoes and ricotta with olive oil, sprinkle with the reserved basil and fleur de sel, and serve at room temperature.
• Set a fine-mesh sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 pieces of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with a double layer of the cheesecloth.
• Pour the milk and cream into a medium stainless-steel or enameled pot, such as Le Creuset, and stir in the salt. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and pour in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for one minute, until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).
• Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 minutes (for soft ricotta) to 25 minutes (for firmer ricotta), occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining liquid. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep, refrigerated, for 4 to 5 days.

ROASTED TOMATO TART WITH RICOTTA AND PESTO

Steps:

• Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. Set the sliced tomatoes on top in a single layer. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Use it to season the tomatoes evenly on both sides, cover with another paper towel and let sit, 15 minutes, allowing the salt to draw moisture out of the tomatoes.
• As the tomatoes sit, heat the oven to 400 degrees and set a rack in the middle of the oven. Working on a large sheet of parchment paper, roll out the puff pastry into a 9-by-11-inch rectangle, trimming any uneven edges. Prick the inside with a fork every few inches, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Using a pastry brush, coat the center of the puff pastry with the crème fraîche, leaving the border unbrushed.
• Working within the border, layer the tomatoes and red onion on top of the tart, allowing them to overlap slightly. Transfer to a sheet pan and bake, rotating halfway through, until puff pastry is browned and puffed, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Sprinkle tomatoes with Aleppo pepper, if using. Dollop with fresh ricotta. Thin pesto with olive oil until it reaches the proper consistency for drizzling; drizzle on top of tart to taste. Top with basil, if using, and serve warm or at room temperature.

EGGPLANT BAKED WITH TOMATOES AND RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use a little of the oil to brush the bottom of an oblong baking dish, like a lasagna pan, 9 by 13 inches. Snip off any stems from the eggplants but keep the leaves on. Quarter the eggplants vertically and place them skin side down in the baking dish. Brush the cut sides with oil, about a tablespoon. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, but keep oven on. Place the eggplant quarters on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut away the flesh, quite close to the skin. Dice the flesh, then chop it fine, by hand or in a food processor. But don't let it become a purée.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy skillet. Add the ham and sauté on medium until it barely starts to brown. Add the garlic and oregano, sauté another 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Cook on medium-high until any juices from the tomatoes begin to reduce, about 5 minutes. Stir in the eggplant. Season with salt, black pepper and Espelette. Stir in 1/2 tablespoon of the remaining oil.
• Top the eggplant skins with this mixture, mounding it up a bit. Return eggplants to the baking dish. Top each with the cheese and drizzle with remaining oil. Bake 20 minutes, until eggplants start to sizzle and cheese has softened - it won't melt. Serve at once or let cool and serve at room temperature.

ROASTED TOMATO, RICOTTA AND BASIL CROSTINI

Steps:

• For the crostini: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut the baguette into thin slices and put them on one of the prepared baking sheets. Brush the bread with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake until they are golden brown and crunchy, about 15 minutes.
• For the roasted tomatoes: In a medium bowl, mix together the tomatoes, honey, olive oil and red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Put the mixture on the other prepared baking sheet and bake until the tomatoes start to color and shrivel, about 25 minutes.
• For the ricotta: In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, olive oil and garlic powder until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
• When the crostini are cooled slightly, spread the ricotta cheese mixture over the top of each piece, and then top with the roasted tomatoes, drizzling any extra juices over the top. Garnish with the chiffonade of basil.

BAKED POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• To prepare the tomato sauce:
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes, yellow onion, and garlic in a baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and the skin is peeling away from the tomatoes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and put in a saucepan. Squeeze the garlic out of the bulb and into the tomatoes. Remove the skin from the onion. Coarsely chop the onion and add to the tomatoes.
• Add the olive oil to the tomatoes and puree with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. You may need to add up to 1/3 cup water if there is not enough liquid. Season with salt. Warm the tomato sauce just prior to use.
• To prepare the polenta:
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a simmer and stream in the polenta. Whisk together until there are no lumps. Cover with a lid and continue to cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Be careful when you go to stir the polenta-it tends to spit out pieces of the cornmeal, which is very hot. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the olive oil and basil. Drop in teaspoon-size pieces of the ricotta cheese. Pour the polenta into an 8-inch square baking pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and let sit for 1 hour or until the polenta has firmed up. Bake the polenta in the oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. Cut the polenta into 8 equal pieces.
• To serve:
• Place 1/2 cup warm tomato sauce in 4 shallow bowls and top with two pieces of the polenta. Sprinkle with the chopped basil.

RICOTTA PIZZA WITH FRESH AND ROASTED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Combine ricotta and Parmesan, season with salt and pepper, and stir in egg. On a baking sheet, drizzle pizza dough with 2 tablespoons oil and stretch or roll into a 16-inch-long oval. Spread ricotta mixture on dough, leaving a 1-inch border.
• On a rimmed baking sheet, toss cherry tomatoes with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake cherry tomatoes on bottom rack and pizza on top rack until tomatoes are soft and skins have burst, 15 minutes. Remove tomatoes and bake pizza until crust is deep golden brown, about 8 minutes more. Toss cherry tomatoes with sliced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Transfer pizza to a cutting board and top with tomato mixture and oregano.

BAKED ZITI WITH FIRE ROASTED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375.
• Spray 2 quart rectangular glass baking dish.
• In a 10 inch non stick skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat, stirring frequently,until cooked. Add zucchini, cook 2 minutes.
• Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling.
• Toss with pasta. Spread in dish. Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake uncovered, about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

WHIPPED RICOTTA TOAST WITH ROASTED GARLIC, TOMATOES AND SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut just the top of the head of garlic off, leaving cloves intact and exposed. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil, wrap tightly in aluminum foil, place on medium sheet pan and roast for 25 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, shallots, remaining 2 teaspoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to coat. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment.
• After garlic has roasted for 25 minutes, leave it in the oven then add the sheet pan with the tomatoes and shallots and roast for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut bread into 20 (½-inch) slices.
• Remove both sheet pans from the oven. Turn the oven off, take wrapped garlic off sheet pan and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
• Lay bread slices in an even layer on the sheet pan, spray lightly with olive oil and place the sheet pan in the oven to allow bread to toast while you whip the ricotta.
• Unwrap the garlic and carefully squeeze or scoop cloves into a food processor fitted with metal blade. Add the ricotta, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste then process for 30 seconds. Scrap sides with a spatula and pulse 2-3 times to thoroughly combine.
• Remove bread from oven and assemble toast.

DELICIOUS AND SIMPLE RICOTTA AND TOMATO PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Firstly, put on a large pot of salted water and bring to the boil, add pasta to water and cook until'al dente' approximately 8- 10 minutes.
• While pasta is on the go, finely dice your onion and crush your garlic.
• In a saucepan, put in the olive oil, when the oil is warm, add your garlic and onion and gently saute these until they are transparent.
• Add the ricotta to the pan, and stir through the onions and garlic well.
• At this stage, add your salt and pepper, parmesan, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.
• Mix well and let simmer gently for 10 minutes.
• Drain pasta.
• Turn the ricotta sauce off from the heat, add your fresh basil leaves, roughly torn, into the sauce.
• Dish up some pasta into a bowl, put some of the ricotta sauce on top of the pasta, and finish off with some extra shavings of parmesan if desired.

BAKED RICOTTA & TOMATO ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI, FRESH OREGANO & CHILLI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4, and bring a medium pan of salted water to the boil over a high heat.
• Peel and finely slice the garlic and place in a small bowl. Pick in the oregano leaves, then add the chilli, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper and 2 tablespoons of oil. Mix together.
• Halve the lemon, and roughly chop the tomatoes. Transfer the lemon halves and tomatoes to a medium roasting tray, placing the ricotta in the centre.
• Spoon the chilli mixture over the ricotta and tomatoes, then roast for 30 minutes, or until the ricotta is golden.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until al dente, which means that it should be soft enough to eat, but still have a bit of bite and firmness to it.
• Trim and chop the broccoli into small florets, then add to the pasta for the last 3 minutes.
• Scoop out a mug of cooking water, then drain the pasta and broccoli.
• When the time's up, remove the tray from the oven and, using tongs, carefully squeeze a little lemon juice into the tray, then set aside the lemon halves.
• Tip in the pasta and broccoli, finely grate in half the Italian hard cheese and mix everything together, breaking up the ricotta as you go, and adding a little pasta water to loosen, if needed. Season to taste, adding a bit more black pepper or lemon juice, if needed.
• Divide between your plates and finely grate over the remaining cheese.

WHOLE BAKED RICOTTA WITH LENTILS & ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the shallots in a medium-sized roasting tin, drizzle over 2 tbsp olive oil and season. Roast for 15 mins until golden brown and beginning to soften. Meanwhile, to make a dressing, whisk the remaining olive oil with the lemon zest and juice, stir through half the herbs and season.
• Toss the lentils together with the shallots, spinach and 4 tbsp water. Put the ricotta in the centre of the roasting tin and lay the tomatoes around them. Drizzle the dressing over the lentils and shake the tin a little to combine everything. Drizzle a little olive oil over the ricotta and season everything well. Return to the oven for 30-35 mins or until the ricotta is firm and lightly golden.
• Serve the lentils in shallow bowls topped with spoonfuls of the creamy ricotta and sprinkled with the remaining herbs.

RICOTTA TOAST WITH BACON AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, crumble and set aside.
• Combine cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Heat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush bread slices with olive oil on both sides. Cook in grill pan until grill marks appear and bread is toasted, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Spread toasted bread with ricotta cheese. Top with tomato mixture and sprinkle with bacon. Cut each toast in half and serve.