Baked Ricotta In A Tomato Base Recipes

BAKED POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• To prepare the tomato sauce:
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes, yellow onion, and garlic in a baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and the skin is peeling away from the tomatoes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and put in a saucepan. Squeeze the garlic out of the bulb and into the tomatoes. Remove the skin from the onion. Coarsely chop the onion and add to the tomatoes.
• Add the olive oil to the tomatoes and puree with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. You may need to add up to 1/3 cup water if there is not enough liquid. Season with salt. Warm the tomato sauce just prior to use.
• To prepare the polenta:
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a simmer and stream in the polenta. Whisk together until there are no lumps. Cover with a lid and continue to cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Be careful when you go to stir the polenta-it tends to spit out pieces of the cornmeal, which is very hot. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the olive oil and basil. Drop in teaspoon-size pieces of the ricotta cheese. Pour the polenta into an 8-inch square baking pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and let sit for 1 hour or until the polenta has firmed up. Bake the polenta in the oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. Cut the polenta into 8 equal pieces.
• To serve:
• Place 1/2 cup warm tomato sauce in 4 shallow bowls and top with two pieces of the polenta. Sprinkle with the chopped basil.

RICOTTA AND TOMATO SPREAD

Steps:

• Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil in a food processor. Blend to a smooth puree and season to taste.
• Place the ricotta in a mound in a large round plate. Spoon the tomato mixture around the edge. Garnish the cheese with a sprig of basil.

BAKED RICOTTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, egg whites, oregano and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Lightly oil an 8-inch springform baking pan. Pour in ricotta mixture, and smooth surface.
• Bake until ricotta is dry on top but not browned, about 30 minutes; it will have risen slightly but will remain a thin disk. Allow to cool slightly, and release from pan. Cut into wedges, and serve warm with a plate of roasted tomatoes. (See recipe.)

BAKED RICOTTA ORECCHIETTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine cherry tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and garlic in a large, 3-quart baking dish. Drizzle generously with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat everything. Make a well in the center of the dish and drop in the ricotta cheese. Drizzle the ricotta with remaining olive oil and give it a generous pinch more of pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Switch the oven to broil at 500 degrees F (260 degrees C) and continue to cook until desired blistering and browning occurs, 2 to 4 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orecchiette in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
• Remove the baked ricotta dish from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack.
• Add thyme leaves, then stir the ricotta to break it up. Stir in fresh basil, parsley, and lemon juice. Add the reserved pasta water to loosen things up if needed. Taste and adjust salt if desired. Add the orecchiette and stir until everything is coated. Serve.

BAKED RICOTTA IN A TOMATO BASE

Steps:

• Baked ricotta:.
• buy a 400-500g (1lb)block of ricotta and cut in halves.
• Wrap both halves in a clean linen tea towel and leave for 30 minutes so moisture is absorbed.
• Place in foil lined baking tray and bake in moderate oven for 20 minutes or until golden.
• Turn over with spatula and bake a further 20 minutes.
• Leave to cool and cut into dices.
• Main dish:.
• Shell peas or thaw frozen peas.
• Heat oil in sauce pan and gently fry onion, garlic, ginger until soft, translucent and just turning golden.
• Add ground spices and stir for 1 minute.
• Then add tomatoes, salt and 1 tsp of garam masala.
• Stir, cover and cook until tomatoes can be easily mashed into a pulp.
• Add a little water if mixture sticks to pan.
• Add peas and cook until almost tender.
• Add cheese and half of the fresh herbs and simmer, covered for 10 minutes or until peas are tender.
• Sprinkle remaining garam masala and fresh herbs over.
• Stir well and serve with indian bread or rice.