Fried Ricotta With A Little Tomato Salad Recipes

Steps:

• For the whipped ricotta: Place the ricotta, olive oil and salt in a food processor. Blend until light and smooth, about 30 seconds. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
• For the dressing: Place the basil, pine nuts, vinegar, salt and pepper flakes in a food processor. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil to form a smooth dressing. Set aside.
• For the salad: In a bowl, toss the tomatoes, snap peas and arugula with the dressing.
• To assemble: Spread the whipped ricotta on the bottom of a platter. Place the dressed salad on top of the ricotta, leaving some of the cheese exposed around the edges. Serve.

Steps:

• For the ricotta:.
• In a heavy saucepan, warm the milk, buttermilk and nutmeg over high heat; stir the mixture frequently until it reaches 120 degrees (warm to the touch), about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Now stir occasionally; the milk will begin to separate; when it reaches 175 degrees to 180 degrees, about 1 to 2 minutes, gently scrape the bottom of the saucepan; the curds will rise to the top; cook at 180 degrees for 1 minute.
• Line a strainer or colander with cheesecloth and place it over a bowl or pot large enough to catch the liquid from the cheese and pour the contents of the saucepan into the strainer.
• Gently stir in the Parmesan and salt while the mixture is still hot.
• Gather up the corners of the cheesecloth and tie it up with string and let it drain for 15 minutes.
• Once the ricotta is at room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use (makes 1 cup).
• For the croutons:.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Tear the baguette into chunks, toss lightly with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake for 10 minutes until golden (makes 2 cups).
• For the assembly of the salad:.
• Cut the tomatoes (which you have NOT refrigerated)into different shapes and sizes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste; drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil; and arrange on serving plates.
• Drizzle the tomatoes with the aged balsamic vinegar.
• Scatter the croutons and torn basil atop the tomatoes.
• Top each salad with two quenelles of ricotta cheese (use two tablespoons to form the cheese into ovals, each about a tablespoon of cheese).

Steps:

• Combine the polenta with 6 1/2 cups water in a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the butter and 2 teaspoons salt. Cover and cook on LOW until the polenta is thick and tender, about 6 hours.
• With the slow cooker on LOW, stir the polenta well and then stir the spinach into the polenta in 2 batches, covering the cooker and letting the first batch wilt before adding the second, about 5 minutes per batch.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together the tomatoes, oil, and vinegar. Season the tomato salad with salt and pepper.
• Optional: Pour a thin layer of oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat and crack 4 eggs into the pan. Season the eggs with salt and pepper and cook until the whites are golden brown, lacy on the edges, and just set in the middle, and the yolks are still a little jiggly, about 3 minutes.
• Fold the Parmesan and ricotta into the polenta. Taste and season the polenta with salt if necessary. Stir in warm water by the tablespoon if the polenta is looking too thick for your taste-keep in mind it will continue to thicken as it cools. Top bowls of the polenta with the tomato salad and, if you like, the fried eggs.

Steps:

• Put the drained ricotta in a bowl. With the ice-cream scoop or other implement, scoop out tablespoon-sized balls of ricotta, and set them on a parchment-lined tray or sheet pan (you should have about twenty-four ricotta balls total). Set the tray in the freezer, and chill the balls until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Spread the flour on a small plate, and the bread crumbs on a large plate. Whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt in a wide, shallow bowl. Dredge the balls in the flour, and gently flatten them into thick patties. Coat the patties in egg, then dredge them until well coated in the bread crumbs, but not heavily so. Return the breaded patties to the parchment-lined tray.
• When you are ready to fry the patties, pour the vegetable oil in the skillet and set over medium heat. The oil is ready when the tip of a patty sizzles on contact. Drop the patties into the skillet in batches, so they are not crowded, and fry for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Lift them from the skillet with a slotted spatula, and drain briefly on paper towels.
• Serve ricotta fritta while still hot.
• For a savory appetizer or main course: spoon a pool of hot tomato sauce onto each serving plate, set 4 to 6 fried patties per portion in the sauce, and scatter shredded basil on top.
• For a dessert dish: top portions of 3 or 4 patties per serving with warmed peach preserves (or any fruit jam or poached fruit) and whipped cream.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together ricotta with Parmesan, flour, pinch of salt, and egg. Season with pepper; refrigerate until ready to cook.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the tomatoes, basil, and chile. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar. Gently stir to combine.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Working in batches, drop the ricotta mixture a tablespoon at a time into the skillet, taking care not to crowd the fritters. Cook, turning once until browned, about 2 minutes per side.
• Transfer cooked fritters to a paper-towel-lined plate, sprinkle with salt and nutmeg. Serve immediately with tomato mixture.