Pistachio Ricotta Cookies Food

PISTACHIO-RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 325˚. Spread the whole and chopped pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet (keep them separate) and bake until toasted, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
• Set aside the chopped pistachios in a small bowl. Pulse the toasted whole pistachios in a food processor along with the shortbread cookies and granulated sugar until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch round springform pan. Bake until set around the edges and no longer puffed, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack; let cool 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the ricotta, pistachio paste, lemon zest, vanilla and almond extracts and salt and continue beating until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the green food coloring and beat until combined.
• Pour the filling over the crust. Bake until the cheesecake is puffed and the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer the cheesecake to a rack and let cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen, then remove the springform ring. Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight. Dust with confectioners' sugar and sprinkle with the toasted chopped pistachios before serving.

CANNOLI FILLED WITH PISTACHIO RICOTTA

Steps:

• Soak the dried cranberries in the amaretto in a small bowl for 30 minutes.
• Combine the ricotta and sugar in a small bowl and whip until smooth. Add the mascarpone and stir to incorporate. Be careful not to overmix, or the mascarpone might separate. Fold in the pistachios and dried cranberries with their soaking liquid.
• Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip and pipe the mixtrue into the cannoli shells. If you don't have a pastry bag, put the filling into a plastic bag, snip off 1 corner, and squeeze the filling out into the pastry shells. (Do this close to serving time so the shells won't lose their crispness.) Refrigerate until serving time.
• To serve, dust with confectioners' sugar, using a sieve. Serve chilled.
• Prepare a sanitizing solution of 1 quart of water and 1 tablespoon of household bleach.
• Rinse a large stainless steel or enameled stockpot or soup pot with the sanitizing solution and pour the milk and cream into the pot. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring as necessary with a sanitized spoon so the milk doesn't scorch on the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the lemon juice. Continue stirring slowly until the milk curdles and white curds float to the top. Remove from the heat and cover. Wait for 5 minutes while the curds solidify slightly and become firmer.
• Rinse a colander and a large piece of muslin or several layers of cheesecloth in the sanitizing solution. Wring out the cloth to release the excess water. Line the colander with the cloth and set the colander in the sink or over a large bowl.
• Using a sanitized perforated spoon, gently ladle the curds into the colander. Let the whey drain for 30 minutes, or until the ricotta is still moist but fairly dry.
• After about 15 minutes, lift the edges of the cloth toward the center of the colander to loosen the cheese from the cloth and facilitate draining. If the ricotta is still too liquid and runny in texture after 30 minutes, gather the edges of the cloth together using 1 hand, wrap a piece of kitchen string around the gathered cloth to form a bag, and tie it closed. Hang the bag containing the cheese from the faucet or the handle of a kitchen cabinet door and allow the excess whey to drip from the bag into the sink or a bowl.
• If adding salt, transfer the ricotta to a sanitized bowl and stir in the salt. Place the ricotta in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Use within 5 days.
• Yield: 3 1/4 cups
• Cut the egg roll wrappers into circles 4 inches in diameter. Roll the wrappers around mold or pieces of aluminum tubing that are 1-inch in diameter and 4 1/2 to 5 inches in length. Moisten the overlapped flap of dough with water to seal each wrapper.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet until hot but not smoking, about 350 degrees F. Add the shells, still on the tubing, and fry, turning with tongs as necessary, until golden brown and cripsy on all sides. Remove immediately, using tongs, and stand the tubing on end on paper towels to drain. When cool, slip the cannoli shells off of the tubing.
• Yield: 8 large or 12 mini cannoli shells

PISTACHIO RICOTTA COOKIES RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 1. In a food processor, add the pistachios and process until finely ground. About 1 minute, set aside. 2. In a large bowl, hand or stand mixer at low speed, beat the sugar and butter until blended. 3. Increase the speed to high, beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 4. At medium speed, beat in the ricotta, vanilla, ground pistachios and eggs, until well combined. 5. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until dough forms. 6. Drop dough by LEVEL Tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, on to an ungreased, large cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes or until cookies are very lightly golden (Cookies will be soft) For the Icing: 1. In a small bowl, stir powder sugar and milk until smooth. With a small teaspoon, spread icing on the cookies. Decorate with chopped pistachios. 2. Set cookies aside to allow icing to dry completely

APRICOT AND PISTACHIO RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 10-inch springform pan with the pat of butter.
• In a food processor (or in a large mixing bowl if you choose to do this by hand), combine the remaining butter and the 1 cup sugar and process until creamy. Add the eggs one by one, the ricotta, and the vanilla extract and mix between each addition.
• In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the flour mixture and orange zest to the egg mixture. Mix until just combined; the batter will be thick. Fold in half of the pistachios (reserve the other half for topping) and pour the batter into the prepared pan, levelling the surface with a spatula.
• Arrange the apricots skin side down over the batter in a regular pattern. It's ok to crowd them a little; they will shrink as they bake. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and the remaining pistachios.
• Bake for 1 hour, until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the pan to loosen the cake, unclasp the sides of the pan, and let cool completely before serving. The cake tastes best fresh out of the oven, but it will keep for 2 days at room temperature, wrapped tightly in foil.