Baked Ricotta
This is one of those dishes that looks like it took real effort but comes together with barely any work at all. Ricotta, eggs, pecorino and lemon zest, mixed and baked until golden on top.
The sun-dried tomato salsa on top is what really finishes it off, with peppery rocket and a squeeze of lemon zest cutting through the richness of the baked ricotta underneath.
Great as a starter for a dinner party or a light lunch with some crusty bread on the side.
Baked Ricotta
STARTER · VEGETARIAN · EASY
Simple, elegant, and easier than it looks
Mixing the ricotta batter just until it comes together into a smooth ball keeps the texture light once baked. Overwork it and it turns dense and rubbery instead.
Letting it cool properly before adding the salsa on top stops the oil and juices from soaking in and turning the top soggy, so it stays looking as good as it tastes.
Good-quality, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes make a real difference in the salsa. They dice up easily and give it exactly the right texture.
Baked Ricotta
Ingredients
Ricotta Mixture
- 1 kg Firm Ricotta
- 4 Eggs
- 90 g Pecorino Romano Grated
- 1 Lemon Zest
- 3 g Fresh Oregano Chopped
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Sun-Dried Tomato Salsa
- 80 g Sun-Dried Tomatoes Chopped
- 30 ml Sun-Dried Tomato Oil
- 5 g Flat Leaf Parsley Chopped
- 1 Lemon Zest
- 100 g Rocket Arugula
- Edible Flowers Optional
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Grease a 22cm round springform baking tin with spray oil or melted butter and line with parchment paper.
- Place all the ricotta mix ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine into a smooth ball. Place the ricotta mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for 30 minutes or until golden on top. Remove and let cool for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, add the sun-dried tomatoes, sun-dried tomato oil, flat-leaf parsley and lemon zest to a mixing bowl and mix to combine.
- Place the sun-dried tomato mixture on top of the baked ricotta and serve with edible flowers (optional) and rocket. Portion into 8 even-sized pieces. Dig in.
