Bruschetta With Ricotta Lemon Spread Food

BRUSCHETTA WITH RICOTTA-LEMON SPREAD

Steps:

• Brush baguette slices with olive oil, grill until toasted. Rub slices with raw garlic clove.
• Stir together ricotta, zest, olive oil, basil, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Spread can be refrigerated, in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

BLUEBERRY LEMON RICOTTA BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• For the blueberries: Macerate the blueberries by mixing them together with the sugar and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside while you make the ricotta mix and the bruschetta.
• For the lemon ricotta: Add the ricotta, heavy cream, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Mix until the ricotta is smooth and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• For the crostini: Heat a griddle (or large cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Spread each side of the sliced bread with some butter. Toast the bread on both sides until crisp and golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Allow the bread to cool slightly.
• For serving: To assemble, smear a heaping tablespoon of the lemon-ricotta mixture onto a piece of toasted bread. Top with a tablespoon of the macerated blueberries and garnish with a basil leaf. Transfer the bruschetta to a platter and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Zest the lemon over the platter before serving.

HERBED RICOTTA BRUSCHETTAS

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals or turn a gas grill to medium-high heat.
• Combine the ricotta, scallions, dill, chives, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside. Cut the bread in half and cut each half into 6 thick slices to make 12 slices total.
• When the grill is hot, brush the bread with olive oil and grill on each side for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the grill and rub each slice of bread with the cut side of the garlic clove. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread with the herbed ricotta. Serve 2 warm slices per person with the green salad on the side.
• Set a large sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 layers of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with the cheesecloth.
• Pour the milk and cream into a stainless-steel or enameled pot such as Le Creuset. Stir in the salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 1 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 to 25 minutes, occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker the ricotta. (I tend to like mine on the thicker side, but some prefer it moister.) Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining whey. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.
• Place the salad greens in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour enough dressing on the salad to moisten. Toss and serve.

RICOTTA WITH LEMON, BASIL, AND HONEY BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Mix fresh ricotta with lemon zest, and spread onto toasts (do not rub with garlic or drizzle with oil in this variation). Add a few basil leaves, and drizzle with delicate honey.

SLOW-ROAST TOMATO, RICOTTA & PROSCIUTTO BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Put the tomatoes, cut-side up, on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Sprinkle over 1 tsp sea salt, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil, and scatter over the thyme. Roast for 1½-2 hrs, or until the tomatoes are wrinkled and a touch charred but still juicy. Leave to cool.
• Combine the ricotta, parmesan and lemon zest. Season. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Brush the bread with the remaining oil and griddle for 2-3 mins on each side, or until lightly toasted. Top with the ricotta mixture, tomatoes, prosciutto and a drizzle of olive oil.

STRAWBERRY RICOTTA BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Brush bread slices with butter; place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the strawberries, mint and honey; set aside. In another bowl, combine the ricotta, jam and lemon zest. Spread ricotta mixture over toast; top with strawberry mixture.

CROSTATA WITH LEMON CUSTARD AND WHIPPED RICOTTA CREAM

Steps:

• Combine flour, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, sugar, egg, baking powder, and vanilla extract in a food processor. Blend ingredients until dough starts sticking together and forms one piece.
• Wrap crostata dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Remove dough from the refrigerator. Roll out dough using a lightly floured rolling pin on a work surface, or flatten it directly onto a baking sheet using your fingers, to form crostata shell. Pierce shell with a fork to prevent air bubbles during baking.
• Bake in the preheated oven until sides are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove crostata from the oven and set aside to cool.
• While crostata cools, pour lemon juice into a heavy saucepan through a sieve and stir in 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Heat mixture over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Beat remaining sugar, eggs, and flour together in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer or a whisk until white and airy in texture.
• Pour warm lemon juice mixture into egg mixture slowly, whisking constantly. Pour custard mixture back into the saucepan.
• Heat custard mixture over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and continue to mix until the uneven texture becomes smooth, about 1 minute. Add butter gradually to custard 1 piece at a time, stirring constantly, until smooth. Let custard cool to room temperature.
• While custard cools, combine ricotta cheese, whipping cream, confectioners' sugar, and lemon zest in a food processor. Blend until mixture is uniform and smooth in texture, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer ricotta cream to a bowl.
• Place lemon custard and ricotta cream in the refrigerator to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Remove custard and cream from the refrigerator. Spread lemon custard evenly on cooled crostata crust. Spread ricotta cream on top of lemon custard. Decorate with raspberries. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

RICOTTA CHEESE SPREAD WITH LEMON AND HERBS

Steps:

• Empty the container of ricotta into a strainer and place over a bowl.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. (You can cut down the drain time several ways - 1) don't bother to drain at all, you'll just have a lot more moisture in your final product 2) drain at room temperature for 1 hour or 3) just drain for as long as you have patience and then, proceed!).
• Combine drained ricotta, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme leaves, salt and pepper.
• Stir until blended.
• Mound onto the center of a shallow bowl or serving plate and drizzle with oil.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest and 1/2 teasonpoon of thyme over the top. Garnish with strips of basil.
• Serve with crackers, bread, or raw vegetables.
• *I used the 4 hour drain time as the cooking time for this recipe*.