Ricotta Puffs Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, unfold puff pastry. Cut each sheet into nine squares. Mix ricotta cheese, red peppers, 2 tablespoons Romano cheese, parsley, oregano and pepper., Brush pastry edges with milk; place 2 rounded teaspoonfuls of cheese mixture in center of each square. Fold edges of pastry over filling, forming a rectangle; seal edges with a fork. Cut slits in pastry; brush with milk. Sprinkle with remaining Romano cheese., Place 2 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• 1. Combine all ingredients except for the vegetable oil.
• 2. Heat oil in a pot or deep fryer over medium heat.
• 3. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into hot oil. Flip after 1 to 2 minutes. When edges are brown flip over to brown other side for another minute.
• 4. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate covered with paper towels to drain.
• 5. Sprinkle on powdered sugar if desired.

Steps:

• Place ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve and drain thoroughly, for approximately one hour.
• In a large bowl, beat together eggs, ricotta, sugar and liqueur. Beat for approximately 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth and thick.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Fold flour into eggs and cheese. Mix well. Set aside, refrigerated, to rest for about an hour.
• Over medium high heat bring oil to frying temperature. Test by tossing in a cube of white bread - if it sizzles and browns quickly, oil is ready.
• Drop egg-cheese mixture by tablespoons full into hot oil. Turn once to brown both sides. When they are puffed up and well browned, remove and drain on absorbent paper.
• When drained and cool, sprinkle puffs with powdered sugar.

Steps:

• Unfold pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface.
• Cut each sheet into nine 3" squares, set aside.
• For filling, stir together rest of ingredients, except last 2, in a medium bowl til combined.
• Place spoonfuls of filling onto one side of each square.
• Moisten the edges of each square with a little bit of milk, fold over and press edges with fork tines to seal.
• Cut slits in top of each pastry bundle.
• Brush each with milk and sprinkle with grated romano cheese.
• Place bundles onto parchment-lined cookie sheet(s).
• Bake in 400 degree oven about 20 minutes or til golden.
• Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm.
• Makes 18 pastries.

Steps:

• Bring milk, butter, 1 tablespoon sugar, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Add flour; stir until batter is smooth and forms ball, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in eggs, 1 at a time.
• Add enough oil to heavy large saucepan to reach depth of 2 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pan and heat oil to 350°F. Working in batches, drop 1 tablespoon batter into oil for each cream puff. Fry until golden brown and puffed, about 5 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer cream puffs to paper towels to drain. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Blend ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and lemon peel in medium bowl for filling. Cut cream puffs in half horizontally. Spoon 1 rounded teaspoon filling into bottoms; cover with tops. Arrange on platter. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar.

Steps:

• Spoon the ricotta into a large, fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth or basket-type coffee filter. Set the sieve over a bowl, and cover the ricotta well with plastic wrap. Drain in the refrigerator at least overnight, or up to 24 hours. Discard the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.
• Process the drained ricotta and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade until creamy. Pour in the Grand Marnier and process until incorporated. Scrape the ricotta mixture into a bowl and stir in the candied fruits and chocolate chips. Store in the refrigerator, covered, until needed, up to 2 days.
• Bring the water, butter, granulated sugar, and salt to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the flour all at once, and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon over medium heat until the dough leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball around the spoon. Remove from heat, and quickly beat in one egg at a time, beating until the batter is smooth after each addition. Add the orange and lemon zest, and continue beating until mixture is smooth and glossy.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy 3-quart pot until a deep-frying thermometer registers 350° F. Carefully drop rounded tablespoonfuls of the batter into the oil, about six at a time. (There should be enough room in the pot for the zeppole to float freely.) Fry, turning the zeppole as necessary, until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Adjust the heat under the pot to maintain the temperature of the oil as the zeppole fry. Remove with a skimmer and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter, allowing the oil to return to 350° F before continuing, if necessary.
• Preheat the oven to 425° F. Drop the batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a lightly greased or nonstick baking pan. Bake until evenly and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° F, and continue baking until medium golden brown and a zeppola feels very light when picked up from the baking sheet, about 15 minutes.Transfer to a rack and cool completely.
• Cut the zeppole in half, leaving them attached on one side. Spoon the filling into the zeppole, dividing evenly. Dust the tops of the zeppole with confectioners' sugar and serve at room temperature or, if you prefer, chilled.