Lemon Pepper Ricotta Spread Recipes

ONE-POT LEMON RICOTTA SPAGHETTONI

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (an oval Dutch oven or round braiser works well here, but any large pot will do) over medium-high heat. Add the scallion whites, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to caramelize, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the oregano, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is softened and fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the lemon juice, 5 1/2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper to the pot, scraping up any brown bits that may have formed on the bottom. Put the spaghettoni in the pot and spread it out as much as you can. Bring the water to a boil and cook, stirring frequently to make sure the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is al dente, the mixture looks creamy and starchy and almost all of the water is evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan, ricotta and lemon zest until the cheeses have melted and the sauce is very creamy, about 1 minute. Divide the pasta into 4 bowls and garnish each with scallion greens and a few more cracks of black pepper.

CHARRED PEPPERS WITH LEMON RICOTTA AND CUCUMBERS

Steps:

• Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Spread out walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Let cool, then crush into large pieces with a flat-bottomed measuring cup or glass.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook peppers, shaking pan and turning peppers occasionally, until skins are lightly charred and flesh is tender, 6-8 minutes. Transfer peppers to a cutting board and let cool slightly. If peppers are large, cut in half lengthwise.
• Combine ricotta and 2 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl; finely grate zest from lemon over and mix well. Season lemon ricotta with salt. Set lemon aside.
• Combine peppers, cucumbers, mint, and half of walnuts in a large bowl. Cut reserved lemon in half and squeeze juice into bowl. Drizzle in 2 Tbsp. oil, season with salt, and toss to coat.
• Transfer pepper mixture to a platter along with any juices in the bottom of bowl. Dollop lemon ricotta over and top with remaining walnuts. Drizzle with more oil and season with black pepper.

BRUSCHETTA WITH RICOTTA-LEMON SPREAD

Steps:

• Brush baguette slices with olive oil, grill until toasted. Rub slices with raw garlic clove.
• Stir together ricotta, zest, olive oil, basil, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Spread can be refrigerated, in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

ROASTED PEPPERS WITH LEMON RICOTTA

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven, and heat it to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Rinse the peppers, pat them dry and place them on the pan. Roast the peppers, turning every 10 minutes, until their skins are black and blistered, 40 minutes, more or less. Transfer the peppers to a heatproof bowl, cover and, when they're cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. Remove the caps, cut each pepper in quarters or halves and remove and discard the seeds. Lightly brush the peppers with oil; use now, or cover closely and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
• Scrape the ricotta into a bowl, and mix with a spatula to smoothen. Grate the lemon zest over the ricotta, squeeze in about 1 tablespoon of the juice and add the preserved lemon rind, if you're using it. Pour in a few teaspoons of olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Use now, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
• To serve, spoon or spread the lemon ricotta on a platter or individual plates, and drizzle with olive oil. Top with peppers, and brush or drizzle with olive oil and either sherry or balsamic vinegar. Finish with a sprinkling of chives or basil.

RICOTTA CHEESE SPREAD WITH LEMON AND HERBS

Steps:

• Empty the container of ricotta into a strainer and place over a bowl.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. (You can cut down the drain time several ways - 1) don't bother to drain at all, you'll just have a lot more moisture in your final product 2) drain at room temperature for 1 hour or 3) just drain for as long as you have patience and then, proceed!).
• Combine drained ricotta, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme leaves, salt and pepper.
• Stir until blended.
• Mound onto the center of a shallow bowl or serving plate and drizzle with oil.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest and 1/2 teasonpoon of thyme over the top. Garnish with strips of basil.
• Serve with crackers, bread, or raw vegetables.
• *I used the 4 hour drain time as the cooking time for this recipe*.

BAKED RICOTTA WITH LEMON, GARLIC, & CHIVES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375°F Lightly grease a 1/2- to 1-quart gratin dish or baking pan.
• Mix the ricotta, lemon juice and zest, garlic, chives, and salt, and a generous quantity of fresh black pepper. Spread in the baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. (At this point you can cover and refrigerate the ricotta overnight, if desired.)
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until hot. Drizzle again with olive oil. Serve immediately with crackers for dipping.