Baked Ricotta

For our 6 year anniversary J and I went to the Grand America Hotel for dinner in downtown SLC.  It was delightful.  I had my first baked Ricotta and ever since then I have been itching to make some of my own.  Here it is.  Baked Ricotta.  It is not the hotel recipe that we had, but I like this version well enough.  Next time I think I will make little tartlets with it.  The ramekins are great, but soft melty cheese really needs some crunch.  I made my own Ricotta for this, but that is also optional.  Ever since I learned that I can make my own Ricotta I have been thinking of recipes to use it in.  It is so much fun and gratifying to make your own cheese.  

Baked Ricotta with Hazelnuts and Parmesan

• 1 lb Ricotta
• 2 Tbs Heavy Cream
• 2 Tbs Feta
• 2 Tbs Parmesan
• 2 Tbs Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup chopped Hazelnuts (optional)
• Food processor hazelnuts, take some out and set aside.  Add the rest of the ingredients and food process until smooth.  Add the ricotta to some buttered ramekins and top with chopped hazelnuts and parmesan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min until the cheese is melty.

 Ricotta Cheese

• 1 half gallon of Whole Milk, Vitamin D Milk
• 2 Tbs + 2 tsp Vinegar
• 2 tsp Lemon Juice
• pinch of salt
• Heat milk and a pinch of salt to 180 degrees, that is just before it begins to boil.  Remove from heat and add vinegar and lemon juice.

It begins to curd immediately.

With a slotted spoon scoop out the curds and set in a cheese cloth lined strainer.  2 layers of cheese cloth.

Take the ends of the cheese cloth and tie around a spoon and let drain for half an hour or longer or until it is firm and not sloshing about anymore.

I am just showing off my new scale I got for Christmas here.  1 pound of Ricotta exactly.

Nuts are optional, but since I am a nut I wanted to incorporate them.

Food processor everything together.

I was able to fill 4 small buttered ramekins with the ricotta mixture.

Top with chopped hazelnuts and Parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Since I love eggs and bacon I added an over-easy egg on top of the ricotta bowls with a side of bacon.

I do not know if this is an appetizing or repulsive picture.  Gooey warm egg yolk running into melty ricotta cheese.  The best part was scooping it out and eating it with my salty crispy bacon spoon.  I found it delicious and I hope you do as well.

The Allosaurus came almost 100 million years before the T-Rex so shouldn't all tyranoid sub-species be call allosoids instead. 

Thanks, 

K.