Andy Montoya
Ricotta cheese is an incredibly versatile ingredient that can be used in a multitude of dishes, both sweet and savoury. From lasagnas to cheesecakes, pancakes to meatballs, ricotta adds a creamy texture and slightly sweet taste that highlights other ingredients in the dish. One unique way to use ricotta is by frying it; for example, frying slices of brioche or challah filled with creamy ricotta flavoured with lemon juice and zest until golden brown creates a decadent French toast. Another option is to make ricotta gnocchi, which is easier than classic potato gnocchi, and frying the gnocchi until golden can add a delicious crispy texture. Frying is also a great way to cook ricotta meatballs, which can then be baked until hot and sizzling.
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What You'll Learn
Ricotta frying: pancakes, French toast, and crepes
Ricotta Pancakes
For light and fluffy ricotta pancakes, you will need to separate the eggs and whip the whites, folding them into the batter at the end. In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture, stirring gently until just combined. For extra fluffy pancakes, use a handheld mixer to beat the egg whites until stiff.
Honey Ricotta Stuffed French Toast
For this recipe, you will need to cut thick slices of French bread from the middle of the loaf. In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, honey, and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, stir together eggs, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Dip each slice of bread into the custard mixture, then cook on a griddle or skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a handful of berries.
Whipped Ricotta and Lemon Stuffed Crepes
To make the ricotta filling, add ricotta, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a blender and pulse until light and creamy. Alternatively, you can whisk the ingredients by hand. For the crepe batter, blend eggs, milk, flour, melted butter, and a pinch of salt until smooth. The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream. Cook the crepes on a griddle or skillet, then fill with the ricotta mixture and top with a raspberry sauce.
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Frying with ricotta: meatballs, lasagna, and manicotti
Meatballs
To make ricotta meatballs, whisk together ricotta cheese, egg, and garlic in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth. Next, add in ground beef, Parmesan, fresh herbs, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Stir the mixture together until it is combined. Form the mixture into meatballs, which can be fried, baked, or cooked in a slow cooker.
Lasagna
To make a ricotta lasagna, start by whisking an egg in a medium bowl with salt and pepper. Then, layer sheets of pasta, tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a baking dish. For a non-vegetarian option, you can use a meat sauce. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 400F for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden.
Manicotti
To make manicotti, fill uncooked manicotti shells with a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. Arrange the shells in a baking dish coated with cooking spray and top with marinara sauce. Bake the manicotti, covered, at 350° for 50 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Then, sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan and bake, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
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Fried ricotta: pizza, spinach dip, and summer squash
Fried ricotta pizza
Fried ricotta can be used as a topping for pizza. To make this, prepare your pizza dough and preheat your oven to 500°F (or as high as your oven will go). Place a pizza stone in the oven while it preheats. In a skillet, sauté spinach with salt. Prepare your ricotta in a bowl by mixing it with pesto, mozzarella, garlic, and lemon zest. Spread this mixture on your pizza dough, add your spinach, and sprinkle with basil. Bake until the crust is golden and slightly blistered.
Spinach and ricotta dip
A spinach and ricotta dip is super easy to make. Combine ricotta and spinach in a bowl and serve with crudites, crisps, or chips, or use it as a sandwich filler. It can also be spread on a chicken salad sandwich. For best results, chill the dip in the fridge for at least half an hour to allow the flavours to develop.
Summer pasta with zucchini, ricotta, and basil
This summer pasta dish combines zucchini, ricotta, and basil. Boil a pot of water and add pasta, stirring well. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, ensuring it remains al dente. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook onions in olive oil until softened, then add zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until soft. In a mortar and pestle, pound garlic, basil, and salt into a rough paste, then stir in olive oil. Add the cooked pasta to the zucchini in the skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the cooking water, ricotta, crushed red pepper, and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Finally, add the basil paste and grated cheese.
Variations
Fried ricotta can be used in a variety of dishes beyond pizza, dips, and pasta. It can be added to polenta, paired with zucchini in zucchini pizza boats, or spread on toast with veggies, pesto, or honey.
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Frying with homemade ricotta: gnocchi, polenta, and pasta
Ricotta cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes, including gnocchi, polenta, and pasta. Here are some tips and recipes for frying with homemade ricotta:
Gnocchi
To make ricotta gnocchi, start by draining the ricotta cheese to remove excess moisture. Sandwich the ricotta between paper towels and gently press to absorb the moisture. In a mixing bowl, combine the drained ricotta, eggs, flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir until a dough forms.
Next, roll out the dough and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi for a few minutes until they float to the top. To fry the gnocchi, heat a pan with some butter or oil and cook the gnocchi in batches, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Serve with your favorite sauce, such as pesto or marinara.
Polenta
For a tasty polenta dish, start by cooking the polenta in a slow cooker or on the stovetop. Stir in a generous dollop of ricotta cheese and some Parmesan, then top with a simple tomato salad. If you prefer your polenta baked, spread the cooked polenta into a baking pan, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and bake until heated through. Fry some polenta slices in a pan with butter or oil until crispy, creating a delicious contrast between the crispy exterior and creamy interior.
Pasta
Ricotta cheese adds a creamy texture and mild flavor to pasta dishes. To fry pasta with ricotta, sauté garlic and your choice of vegetables, such as zucchini or broccoli, in a pan. Then, add cooked pasta, ricotta cheese, pasta water, and fresh herbs like mint and parsley. Stir gently to combine, and heat gradually to prevent the sauce from separating. Season with salt and pepper to taste. For an extra indulgent touch, finish the dish with a sprinkle of fried breadcrumbs.
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Fried cheese: cheesecake, cannoli, and cookies
Cheesecake
A ricotta cheesecake combines the creamy richness of American cheesecake with the lighter, drier Italian texture. The recipe below is adapted from Gina DePalma's "Obsessive Ricotta Cheesecake" in Dolce Italiano, Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen.
Ingredients:
- Whole milk ricotta
- Eggs
- Amaretto or rum or Grand Marnier
- Cornstarch
- Orange zest
- Seedless raspberry jam
- Fresh raspberries
- Almonds
- Flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour.
- Combine almonds, flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process until the nuts are finely chopped.
- In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, vanilla, and egg yolk. Add this mixture to the nut mixture and pulse until well combined.
- Press the crust mixture into the prepared pan and chill in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
- Bake the crust at 325°F for 10-15 minutes until lightly golden.
- Add cream cheese, sugar, and salt to a food processor and process until soft and creamy.
- Add ricotta and process until the mixture is smooth and light.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Add vanilla, amaretto, cornstarch, and orange zest, and process to combine.
- Pour the filling on top of the baked crust and bake for 50-60 minutes at 325°F.
- Let the cheesecake cool, then chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Spread raspberry jam over the top, leaving a small border.
Cannoli
For the classic Italian dessert of cannoli, you'll need to prepare the crispy shells and the creamy ricotta filling. You can make your own shells or buy them from a store, but the key to a good ricotta filling is to drain the cheese for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Ingredients:
- Full-fat ricotta cheese
- Confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
- Mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios
- Vanilla extract
- Orange zest
- Cannoli shells
Instructions:
- Place the ricotta cheese in a fine-mesh strainer and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight to drain the liquid.
- In a large bowl, combine the drained ricotta, confectioners' sugar, chocolate chips or pistachios, vanilla extract, and orange zest (if using). Mix well.
- Scrape the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch open tip.
- Pipe the filling into one end of a cannoli shell, filling it halfway, then pipe into the other end.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
Cookies
These Italian ricotta cookies are simple to make and perfect for gifting. The glaze has a sweet almond flavor, and the cookies themselves can be frozen for up to three months.
Ingredients:
- Ricotta cheese
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
- Almond extract
Instructions:
- Beat in the ricotta cheese, followed by the eggs one at a time. Then beat in the vanilla extract.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined.
- Roll the dough into one-inch balls and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool for two minutes on the sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract for the glaze.
- Dip the cooled cookies in the glaze, then top with sprinkles. Return to the cooling rack for the glaze to harden.
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Frequently asked questions
Fried ricotta cheese can be used in recipes such as French toast, pizza rustica, and spinach-artichoke dip pizza.
Baked ricotta cheese can be used in recipes such as lasagna, lemon ricotta cake, and ricotta cheesecake.
Ricotta cheese can be used as a spread on toast, pancakes, and sandwiches.
Ricotta cheese can be used as a filling in cookies, manicotti, cannoli, and ravioli.
