Ricotta cheese is appreciated for its freshness, smooth texture and subtle flavour. It is traditionally made by heating milk until it curdles. The curds are then strained to remove the whey, leaving behind a soft, creamy cheese.
Traditional ricotta has a soft and clumpy, but dense texture. However, a modern variation, smooth ricotta, is available which, of course, has a smoother texture. A light variety, which has an even softer texture, is also available.
Ricotta should be consumed within a few days either of purchase for traditional ricotta, or of opening for smooth ricotta. It’s as well that, as can be seen from the following recipes, it can be used in so many different ways.
While traditional ricotta is usually eaten on its own on bread or biscuits, stirred into a pasta dish, or used to make traditional Italian sweets, smooth ricotta is even more versatile. It can be substituted for heavy cream, crème fraiche or mascarpone in sweet or savoury cooked dishes.
In the recipes on this website, smooth ricotta can be substituted for milk in egg dishes such as scrambled eggs, frittatas and quiche, for cream cheese in dips, and for natural yoghurt in creamy soups or pasta dishes. To find them, just enter ‘milk’, ‘cream cheese’ or ‘yoghurt’ in ‘Search’.
The following recipes are designed for smooth ricotta. You might need to add a little milk to traditional ricotta to get the right texture.
To find more recipes that can be adapted for ricotta see:
» Quick and Health Snacks: Homemade Dips
» One Pot Pasta from the Pantry
Recipes:
Pasta with Mushrooms and Ricotta
Spinach and Ricotta Crustless Quiche
Pasta with Ricotta
- ½ cup pasta
- ½ cup smooth ricotta
- Pepper and garlic granules
- Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Boil pasta until cooked al dente, drain, retaining some of the water and set aside
- Place ricotta in saucepan with pepper and garlic over low heat
- Stir until heated through, adding a little pasta water if necessary to make a smooth sauce
- Stir in pasta and heat through
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)
Variations: you can also add one of the following to the ricotta at Step 3:
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1–2 portion(s) frozen spinach, thawed
- 1–2 tsp. basil pesto
- 1–2 tbsp. tomato pasta sauce
Pasta with Mushrooms and Ricotta
- ½ cup pasta
- ¾ cup mushrooms, sliced
- ¼ cup smooth ricotta
- 1–2 tbsp. butter or margarine
- Pepper, garlic granules and parsley
- 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
- Boil pasta until cooked al dente, drain, retaining some of the water and set aside
- Sauté mushrooms in butter with pepper and garlic
- Remove saucepan from heat and stir in ricotta, Parmesan and parsley
- Add a little pasta water to make a smooth sauce
- Return to heat, add pasta and stir until heated through, adding a little more pasta water if necessary
Variation: add a thawed portion of frozen spinach at Step 3
Ricotta and Broccoli Frittata
- 1 cup (frozen) broccoli florets
- 1 tbsp. chopped onion
- 1 egg
- Parsley and pepper
- 2 tbsp. smooth ricotta
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Butter or margarine
- Steam broccoli until tender (5–10 minutes)
- Chop broccoli finely and set aside.
- In a small pie dish place a little butter with chopped onion and microwave for 30 seconds
- Add steamed broccoli and stir
- Whisk spices and smooth ricotta into egg and stir into broccoli mixture
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and place in a hot (200°C) toaster oven for 20 minutes
Variations: also suitable for thawed frozen spinach, steamed cauliflower, pumpkin or asparagus, or raw zucchini or leek
Spinach and Ricotta Crustless Quiche
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup smooth ricotta
- 1 tbsp. cornflour
- 1–2 portions frozen spinach, thawed
- Pepper, parsley and dried onion
- Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Oil spray
- Spray a small pie dish with oil
- Whisk flour, Parmesan (optional), herbs and spices into egg
- Whisk in smooth ricotta
- Stir in thawed spinach
- Pour mixture into pie dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Bake in a pre-heated moderate (175°C) toaster oven for 20 minutes
Ricotta Pancakes
- ¼ cup smooth ricotta
- ¼ cup low-fat milk
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp. wholemeal flour (or cornflour)
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- Cinnamon (or 1 tsp. vanilla sugar)
- Oil spray
- Beat the egg with milk and cinnamon
- Whisk in smooth ricotta
- Mix in flour and baking powder
- Let stand for 5 minutes
- Spray a non-stick frying-pan with oil and heat over a low heat for 3–5 minutes to heat evenly
- Raise heat to medium-high
- Pour in 2 tbsp. of the mixture for each pancake
- Cook for 1–2 minutes on each side until golden
Ricotta and Lemon Pudding
- ½ cup smooth ricotta
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. desiccated coconut
- Whisk lemon juice into ricotta
- Stir in coconut
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes (optional)
Serving suggestions: top with ¼ cup frozen mixed berries, thawed