I love making homemade ricotta because it’s really easy to make and yummier than the store-bought version. This baked ricotta is a delicious and original option for an appetizer that we can easily make. You can also change it up with different herbs and nuts.
I’m always looking for new components for my cheese board. This is an extremely original option and you do need to make the ricotta because store-bought tends to be wetter. Also it’s really easy and you can double the recipe and keep some for your breakfast the next day :). Now, if you can get a nice quality Italian ricotta then that’s fine, too.
The baguette toasts are a classic companion to cheeses. Sometimes we skip it and buy crackers instead but the olive oil in these toasts make them way too good to be replaced and a nice mix with this baked ricotta.
Baked ricotta
Ingredients
For the ricotta
- 1 litre whole milk try to avoid UHT milk
- 4 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 1 cdta salt
For the baked ricotta
- ricotta from above
- olive oil
- zest from 1 lemon half to mix in with the ricotta and the other half to decorate
- 2 sprigs thyme
- salt
- pepper
- honey or olive oil
- pistachios slightly chopped
For the baguette toasts
- 1 baguette
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
For the ricotta
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Bring the milk and salt to a boil. Stir every once in a while so it doesn't stick and burn to the bottom.
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Once it starts boiling take off the heat and add the lemon juice. Give it a quick mix and let it rest for 10min. If it doesn't curdle when you mix in the lemon juice, return it to the heat for a few seconds. I should curdle.
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Put a colander on a bowl with a muslin or butter cloth on top. You can also use a bag to strain vegetable milk and reserve it for this use only to avoid cross contamination.
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Pour the milk onto the muslin and let it drain for 15min and then help it release more water by squeezing it a bit.
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Mix thyme leaves, lemon zest, salt and pepper with the ricotta.
To take it to the oven
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Pain a mould (I used 2 silicone muffin moulds) with a bit of olive oil and fill with the ricotta. Press down so it's shaped by the mould.
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Take to a preheated oven at 180C for 15min
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Turn over a piece of baking paper and return to the oven for another 15min.
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Serve and decorate with pistachios, lemon zest and honey or olive oil.
For the baguette toasts
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Cut the baguette in thin slices diagonally and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
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Take to a preheated oven at 180C until golden (7-15min).
