Italian Baked Ricotta, Quick And Easy Recipe For A Special Last-Minute Dish
Italian baked ricotta is a typical recipe that comes from Sicilian cuisine, but it remains very popular throughout Southern Italy as well. The preparation for baked ricotta is quick and easy. The end result is absolutely amazing – you will have a super tasty ricotta that you can enjoy on its own, with bruschetta, or use as a condiment for pasta.
This baked aromatic herb ricotta makes for a light and different dinner option compared to your usual meals. It’s also perfect to serve as an appetizer. It’s an easy and fast idea to put together. Since it bakes up in no time, it’s perfect for those days when you want something quick but still special.
All you do is mix together ricotta cheese, dried tomatoes, fresh herbs like basil, and a nice olive oil. Then you bake it until it’s warm and creamy. The dried herbs and good extra virgin olive oil enhance the ricotta, blending Mediterranean flavors together in each bite.
The flavor is out of this world. The Mediterranean flavors will have you transported to Italy in no time. Give it a try – I promise you won’t be disappointed with this easy baked ricotta recipe!
Italian Baked Savory Ricotta Ingredients
These are the ingredients for 4–8 portions, depending on how you decide to serve the baked savory ricotta (alone, on bruschetta, as a condiment for pasta, etc.):
- 2 ricotta of 250 g each
- 8-10 dried tomatoes
- 4–6 tablespoons of herbs to taste: thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, chilli pepper, paprika, basil.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil
How To Make Italian Baked Ricotta
To make Italian baked ricotta, begin by thoroughly washing and finely chopping the fresh herbs using a knife. Now, drain the liquid from whole containers of ricotta cheese and place them upside down directly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper from their original packaging. Using a paring knife, make a shallow cross-cut approximately 1–2 centimeters deep (ca. 0.5 inch) across the surface of each ricotta round.
Arrange sun-dried tomato pieces around the ricotta, and add 2–3 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs to each ricotta. Season with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Gently widen the cross cuts to better incorporate the seasoning mixture.
Bake at 180 °C (ca. 356 °F) for approximately 15 minutes, or until the ricotta is lightly golden. The ricotta will firm yet remain creamy and very flavorful, while the sun-dried tomatoes will form a delicious dark and crispy crust, contrasting pleasantly with the ricotta’s creaminess. The baked ricotta is now ready. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving or using in preferred recipes.
How To Store Baked Ricotta
It’s ideal to enjoy your Italian baked ricotta right after baking, either while it’s still warm or once it has cooled to room temperature. If you have leftovers, cover and keep them in the refrigerator for up to two days. To maintain the texture and flavor of chilled leftovers, let the ricotta sit at room temperature for at least one hour before serving. It’s not advisable to freeze baked ricotta, as its texture may suffer from freezing and thawing.
Italian Baked Ricotta, Quick And Easy Recipe For A Special Last-Minute Dish
Ingredients
- 2 ricotta of 250 g each
- 10 dried tomatoes
- 6 tablespoons of herbs to taste: thyme oregano, rosemary, sage, chilli pepper, paprika, basil.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 °C (ca. 356 °F) in a fan mode.
- Wash and finely chop the herbs with a knife.
- Drain the liquid from the ricotta and place the whole ricotta upside down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper directly from their packaging.
- Arrange the sun-dried tomatoes around the ricotta.
- Make a shallow cross cut on the ricotta surface, approximately 1–2 centimeters deep (ca. 0.5 inch). Add 2–3 tablespoons of chopped herbs to each ricotta and season with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Gently widen the cuts to better incorporate the seasoning.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. The ricotta will firm yet remain creamy, and very flavorful, while the sun-dried tomatoes will form a delicious dark and crispy crust contrasting pleasantly with the ricotta's creaminess.
- Your Italian baked ricotta is ready. Allow to cool and serve at room temperature, or use in preferred recipes.
