Regular readers will know that yesterday Meeta and I over at What’s for Lunch Honey? held our first Blog Swap.
Just in case you missed my recipe here it is:
RICOTTA FRITTA CON PICCOLA INSALATA DI POMODORI – FRIED RICOTTA WITH A LITTLE TOMATO SALAD
INGREDIENTS
- 455g Good crumbly ricotta cheese (Jamie suggests that you buy your ricotta from a good deli since ricotta from the supermarket generally won’t work.)
- 2 Tbsp Freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Flour
- Sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
- 1 Large egg (preferably organic)
- 1 Large handful mixed, ripe tomatoes (I used roma tomatoes), seeds removed and finely chopped
- 2 Sprigs of fresh basil, torn
- 1 Fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Nutmeg, to serving
PREPARATION
- Mix the ricotta with the flour, cheese, seasonings, egg and place in the fridge. I now understand what Jamie was going on about when he said to try and get your ricotta from a deli, I used supermarket ricotta, it was rather wet so needed much more flour to get a workable consistency. I found this out after the first couple of “pancakes” fell apart whilst being fried.
- Mix the chopped tomatoes, chilli, basil and season with salt and pepper. Add some extra virgin olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar.
- Heat a nonstick frying pan containing some olive oil and fry spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture over a medium heat until golden brown on each side.
- Serve hot with a rasp of nutmeg, grated Parmesan and some of the tomato salad
I thought these were really tasty, I think they would make perfect starters but don’t think I would make them as hot canapés.
I have submitted this post for May’s edition of Does My Blog Look Good in This. This month it is being hosted by Nic at Bakingsheet
those look fantastic! I’ve missed most of the new set of Jamie Oliver shows. Is there a cookbook too?
Jamie’s latest book is called Jamie’s Italy, many of my recent recipes have been taken from it. It’s currently my favourite cookbook
This fried ricotta looks delicious, I think that this is going to be my supper on Friday!…
Holy Toledo! Those look beautiful. Thanks for sharing them.
Fried ricotta, what a great idea! It looks delicious and I’m dieing to try it. I love Jamie Oliver too. When is his show on? I never see him on the Food Network anymore.
Rosa – Hope you enjoyed them, thanks for visiting my site.
Tanna – Thanks for that
From our Kitchen – They were really tasty. I watched the Jamie series on UK satellite, I’m afraid I don’t know when it will be aired in the USA, sorry.
Wow, that and many other dishes on your site sound delish — and you take wonderful photos, too. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Lisa, you are very kind. Hope you vist again!
This I will have to try! The ricotta here in Sicily is so good, I’m always looking for new ways to cook with it!
Where you buy the ricotta is irrelevant (although homemade will taste much better!) — the key is to thoroughly drain it overnight. Which I can tell you did not do as you had to add extra flour… Line a colander with cheesecloth or fine tea towel(or coffee filters), press in the ricotta, cover with the ends of the cloth, then place a weight on top (like a heavy can of vegetables). Put the whole contraption over a bowel to catch the whey that drains out, then refrigerate it overnight. The next day give the cheese a few good squeezes in the cloth to get it really dry — sort of like well-done hamburger. Now lightly toss in the flour. The less flour you have to use, the lighter the final product. Try them again — you will notice a huge improvement in texture and flavor!
Thanks for the tip Michele!!
Do the ricotta by your own: http://www.flickr.com/photos/49452026@N00/1531516033/ (see the other pics before this one for the recipe)
Wow, I’m impressed!!