Lucy Ferignos Ricotta Cake Food

LUCY FERIGNO'S RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• Place ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve and set aside to drain for approximately one hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, mix together drained ricotta, salt, flour, sugar, egg yolks and orange rind. Beat well for approximately five minutes until mixture is thick. Add candied peel and mix well with a wooden spoon to distribute pieces throughout mixture.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold gently but thoroughly into egg yolk mixture.
• Butter and flour a deep, round, springform cake pan, 8 1/2 to 9 inches in diameter. Pour batter into pan - it should not be more than half full. Place in oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until middle is firm to the touch and cake is lightly golden brown on top.
• Remove from oven and set aside to cool. As the cake cools, it will shrink somewhat. When cool, remove sides of pan and gently transfer cake to a serving dish. Sift confectioner's sugar and cinnamon, mixed together, over the top.

FRESH FIG AND RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round springform pan, tapping out the excess flour.
• Place the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on medium low, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl and mixing until smooth. Add the ricotta, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix until combined. Don't worry; the ricotta will make it look lumpy.
• In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Arrange the figs on the cake, cut sides up, in snug but not-overlapping concentric circles. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a baking rack for 15 to 20 minutes, transfer to a cake plate, and serve warm with crème fraîche on the side.

RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• To prepare dough: combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Knead dough and roll with rolling pin to form thin layer.
• To prepare filling: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, cooked rice, eggs, salt, sugar, and vanilla extract. Line ovenproof dish, or pie plate, with the dough, reserving any extra dough. Place filling in dough. Use leftover dough to decorate top of cake. If using dough on top, sprinkle with cake decorations. Bake for 40 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.

RICOTTA ORANGE POUND CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
• Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla, orange zest, and Amaretto until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a mesh sieve, dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar.
• Meanwhile, place the strawberries (or orange supremes) in a small bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit until the juices have pooled around the strawberries.
• To serve, slice the cake and serve with a spoonful of strawberries and their juices over the top of the cake.

RICOTTA AND LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 1800c, gas mark 4, 1600C for convection oven.
• Spread some margerine on an 18cm diameter cake tin, and sprinkle flour lightly on it.
• Sieve the flour and add the baking powder.
• In a bowl, rub in the butter and sugar, until the mixture becomes creamy. Use an electric beater for good results.
• Add the egg yolks and beat well until it becomes foamy. Add this to the ricotta. Mix well with your hands.
• Start adding flour, little by little, mixing well continously.
• Place the mixture in the cake tin and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cake has risen and turned golden. Let the cake cool for an hour in the cake tin.

LUCY FERIGNO'S RICOTTA PUFFS

Steps:

• Place ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve and drain thoroughly, for approximately one hour.
• In a large bowl, beat together eggs, ricotta, sugar and liqueur. Beat for approximately 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth and thick.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Fold flour into eggs and cheese. Mix well. Set aside, refrigerated, to rest for about an hour.
• Over medium high heat bring oil to frying temperature. Test by tossing in a cube of white bread - if it sizzles and browns quickly, oil is ready.
• Drop egg-cheese mixture by tablespoons full into hot oil. Turn once to brown both sides. When they are puffed up and well browned, remove and drain on absorbent paper.
• When drained and cool, sprinkle puffs with powdered sugar.