Kale Ricotta Dip Recipes

KALE RICOTTA DIP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine kale, onion, garlic and 1/4 cup water. Set over medium heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 12 minutes; add more water a tablespoon at a time if the pan dries out.
• Transfer vegetables and any liquid in the pan to a food processor or blender and let cool a few minutes. Add ricotta, parmesan, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper flakes. Process until smooth.
• Transfer to a bowl and serve.

KALE AND ARTICHOKE DIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Combine the kale, artichoke hearts, 1/2 cup of the Swiss cheese, the milk, all but 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan, the cream cheese, Worcestershire, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the garlic in a medium bowl. Transfer to a 1-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Swiss cheese and 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Bake until bubbly and lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes and serve with tortilla chips.

RICOTTA-PESTO PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND KALE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, for about 9 minutes (pasta will not be fully cooked.) Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Set aside.
• While pasta is cooking, place sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and leave grease in the pan.
• Add oil to the skillet and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minutes. Add kale, nutmeg, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Deglaze the pan with white wine and cook until kale is soft, 5 to 10 more minutes.
• Return sausage back to the pan. Add ricotta, pesto, and 6 ounces mozzarella cheese. Add reserved pasta and cooking water. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Pour into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle remaining mozzarella over top. Cover with foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

KALE AND RICOTTA SALATA SALAD

Steps:

• Trim the leaves of the kale above where the stems become thick. (You're going to eat this raw; steam the stems for another use if you like.) Stack the leaves in a pile, roll them like a cigar, and slice it thin crosswise.
• Mix together the shallot, lemon juice, salt (go easy on this at first since the cheese is salty), and oil; taste and add more oil if you like.
• Toss the dressing with the kale and ricotta salata, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.

KALE-AND-RICOTTA RAVIOLI

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook kale until tender, 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer kale to a colander. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out excess water and finely chop. In a medium bowl, mash together kale, ricotta, Parmesan, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
• Assemble ravioli: Arrange 6 wrappers on a work surface, keeping remaining wrappers covered with a damp towel. Spoon a scant tablespoon kale mixture in center of each wrapper. With a fingertip, moisten edges of wrapper with water, then fold over filling to form a triangle and press to seal (flatten area around filling to eliminate air pockets). Place ravioli on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
• Return salted water to a boil; reduce to a bare simmer. Drop half the ravioli into water, one at a time, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer ravioli to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet, arrange in a single layer, and let drain briefly. Repeat with remaining ravioli. Serve topped with sauce.

CREAMY KALE & RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Cook the kale in a pan of boiling salted water for 4 mins. Drain and leave to cool slightly. Tip the kale onto a clean tea towel and wring out the excess liquid, then transfer to a large food processor along with the ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, a good grating of nutmeg and some seasoning, then blitz until smooth and creamy. Put in the fridge while you make the sauce.
• For the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan or flameproof casserole dish over a low heat. Fry the onion with a pinch of salt for 10-15 mins until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1 min more. Meanwhile, blitz the chopped tomatoes in a food processor until smooth. Tip the tomatoes into the onion mixture along with the sugar and simmer, uncovered, over a low heat for 15 mins. Season to taste and stir through the basil.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Spoon the ricotta mixture into a piping bag, snip off the tip and carefully pipe it into the cannelloni. Pour a third of the sauce into a 30 x 22cm rectangular baking dish, then arrange the filled cannelloni in the dish in neat rows. Top with the rest of the sauce, then carefully pour over 150ml boiling water from the kettle. Tear over the mozzarella and bake for 45 mins until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbling at the edges. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then serve with a green salad.