These pretty little tarts look like flowers and make a delicious dessert or afternoon tea. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Apply a generous amount of butter to 6 large muffin tins. Peel and core 4 firm apples and slice them very thinly – a mandolin slicer is ideal for this. Arrange the slices of apple around the muffin tins. You…… Continue reading apple and ricotta tarts
Tag: fresh ricotta
cauliflower ricotta frittata
Here’s a different version of cauliflower and cheese. Heat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Divide a small cauliflower into florets and slice 1 onion. In an ovenproof dish, toss them in some olive oil and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and some grated fresh nutmeg. Add a bay leaf and roast in the oven until brown…… Continue reading cauliflower ricotta frittata
three cheese frittata
This makes a delightful one-pan meal. Measurements for this recipe don’t need to be exact, in fact you can vary or expand on this theme in many ways. My frittata started with a sliced onion, a diced clove of garlic and a sliced fresh green chilli. As I used sun-dried tomatoes I also used the…… Continue reading three cheese frittata
apple ricotta cake
Honey caramelised apples and olive oil give this cake it’s distinctive flavour. Perfect for afternoon tea and good served with vanilla ice cream. It also keeps very well. Preheat your oven to 170℃ (340℉). Peel and core 4 apples and cut into wedges. In a large frying pan combine the apples with ½ a cup of honey.…… Continue reading apple ricotta cake
grilled vegetable and ricotta terrine
This terrine makes a colourful and elegant first course and is bound to impress. You will need 6 large red peppers, 4-6 zucchinis, 2-3 large eggplants, 1-2 bunches of asparagus, 450g (1 lb) of fresh ricotta, a little vegetable stock and some gelatine. First cut the peppers into large pieces. The best way to do…… Continue reading grilled vegetable and ricotta terrine
ricotta dumplings with apricots and walnut crumb
These dumplings remind me a little of the Austro-Hungarian food of my childhood. Place 2 cups of fresh ricotta cheese in a bowl and add 1 large egg and ¾ of a cup of plain flour. Mix thoroughly with a fork then, with wet hands, roll the mixture into balls and place them on a plate.…… Continue reading ricotta dumplings with apricots and walnut crumb
ricotta, lemon and almond cake
Not too sweet and bursting with lemon, this cake lets the ricotta flavour shine through. Preheat your oven to 180C (350F). Place 285g (10 0z) of fresh ricotta cheese, 2 large eggs and 170g (6 oz) of caster sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until well combined and smooth. Add 85g…… Continue reading ricotta, lemon and almond cake
ricotta gnocchi with home-made basil pesto
These gnocchi are quick and easy to make and are a satisfying meal. Place 2 cups of fresh ricotta cheese in a bowl and add 1 large egg and ¾ of a cup of plain flour. Mix thoroughly with a fork then, with wet hands, roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls and place them on a…… Continue reading ricotta gnocchi with home-made basil pesto
sour cherry, ricotta, almond and polenta cake
This deliciously moist and buttery cake is neither too sweet nor too heavy to serve as a dessert. You will first need to drain a jar of Morello cherries. Scatter them in a greased and paper-lined spring-form cake tin. In a food processor or mixer combine 1 cup of ricotta cheese, 285 g (10 oz) of almond meal, ¾ of…… Continue reading sour cherry, ricotta, almond and polenta cake
giant pasta shells
Easier to fill than cannelloni, these giant pasta shells look impressive. Cook the pasta first, for about half the prescribed cooking time, and then fill with a mixture of freshly cooked spinach (well drained and squeezed dry), ½ a bunch of fresh basil, 1-2 cups of fresh ricotta and ½ a cup of feta cheese. For…… Continue reading giant pasta shells
michelle picker cooks 