Ricotta Sformata Recipes

SFORMATA DI RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add the tomatoes and garlic; drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Shake dish to coat tomatoes with cheese. Bake 15 minutes, until tomatoes are hot and start to split, shaking dish occasionally. Remove tomatoes from oven; cool in dish. Spoon tomatoes and their juices into a bowl; reserve the baking dish but do not wash it out.
• When baking dish is cool enough to touch, grease bottom and sides with the remaining butter. Mix the eggs and ricotta in a food processor until smooth.Add the crème fraíche and half the thyme and process until mixed. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the ricotta mixture in the baking dish; scatter the tomatoes and their juices and remaining thyme on top. Sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.

DELICIOUS AND SIMPLE RICOTTA AND TOMATO PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Firstly, put on a large pot of salted water and bring to the boil, add pasta to water and cook until'al dente' approximately 8- 10 minutes.
• While pasta is on the go, finely dice your onion and crush your garlic.
• In a saucepan, put in the olive oil, when the oil is warm, add your garlic and onion and gently saute these until they are transparent.
• Add the ricotta to the pan, and stir through the onions and garlic well.
• At this stage, add your salt and pepper, parmesan, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.
• Mix well and let simmer gently for 10 minutes.
• Drain pasta.
• Turn the ricotta sauce off from the heat, add your fresh basil leaves, roughly torn, into the sauce.
• Dish up some pasta into a bowl, put some of the ricotta sauce on top of the pasta, and finish off with some extra shavings of parmesan if desired.

SWEET CORN AND RICOTTA SFORMATO

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the corn kernels and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer half the kernels to a food processor and purée with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer the corn kernels and puréed corn to a large bowl and let cool, about 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 450 degrees. When the corn mixture has cooled, add the ricotta, heavy cream, crème fraîche, 1 cup Parmesan and the remaining 1 tablespoon salt; season to taste with more salt, if desired.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks on high speed, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the yolks into the ricotta mixture until combined then gently fold in the whites, working delicately to avoid deflating.
• Rub the sides and crannies of a 6-by-10-inch oval or 8-by-8-inch square (or similar 2-inch-deep) baking dish with a knob of butter. Add 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan, knocking it around the baking dish to coat the entire thing, then follow with a few grinds of pepper.
• Pour the ricotta batter into the dish. Top with another 3 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until the cheese has browned and the sformata has set in the center, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Using a mortar and pestle, grind the basil with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt, then stir in the remaining 1/4 cup oil.
• Just before serving, top the warm sformata with the remaining 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, drizzle with basil oil and serve.

CAULIFLOWER SFORMATI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepot with a lid over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the minced onion, and saut´é until it is thoroughly soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer the onion to a mixing bowl to cool.
• Combine the cauliflower and the chicken stock in the pot you used to sauté the onion (no need to clean it first). Raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, and boil until the florets are soft, about 10 minutes or so. Strain the cauliflower, reserving the stock. Add the florets to the onion, and mash them up a bit with a fork.
• Using the same pot, melt the butter over low heat (no need to clean the pot first). Use a pastry brush to swirl some of the melted butter around the insides of the ramekins. Cut circles of parchment paper to fit the bottoms of the ramekins. Butter the circles, and set them in place. Set the ramekins aside.
• Add the flour to the remaining butter in the pan, whisking with a fork as you add to prevent lumps. Add the reserved stock a little at a time, whisking as you pour. Raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken, whisking to prevent and break up any lumps. Add the stock mixture to the cauliflower and onions, and toss to coat. Add the nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and black pepper to the bowl, and stir, mixing thoroughly. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Once the cauliflower mixture has cooled a bit, fold in the cheeses. Add the eggs, and fold them in as well. Spoon the mixture into the ramekins. Pour a cup or so of hot water into a 9x13-inch casserole, and place the ramekins in the baking dish.
• Bake until the sformati are set and the tops are browned, about 40 minutes. (If the water evaporates during baking, add more hot water.) Remove the ramekins from the casserole, and let sit until they are thoroughly cool. (Since they are served at room temperature, you can make the sformati well in advance.)
• When ready to serve, toss the salad greens with the lemon-olive oil dressing. Unmold the sformati by running a thin knife around the edge of the ramekins. Place a small plate on top of each ramekin, and invert it, tapping lightly if necessary. The sformati should come out of the mold in one piece. Peel and discard the parchment. Serve, browned side up, with the greens on the side.