- For pancakes with a light and fluffy texture, combine egg yolks, sugar, flour, ricotta cheese and lemon zest. Briskly whip the egg whites and fold into the batter. Cook the pancakes and serve topped with yogurt sweetened with honey.
- To make a quick dessert mousse, whip 250 millilitres (one cup) ricotta cheese with 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) confectioners' sugar until creamy, then stir in 15 millilitres (one teaspoon) fresh orange juice, two millilitres (1/2 teaspoon) vanilla extract, 75 millilitres (1/3 cup) chopped almonds and 75 milllilitres (1/3 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips. Fold in 375 millilitres (1 1/2 cups) whipped cream and serve.
- To make a no-cook ricotta sauce for pasta, combine:
150 ml (1 c) ricotta cheese
30 ml (2 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 red peppers, seeded, roasted and chopped
75 ml (1/3 c) chopped fresh basil
125 ml (1/2 c) freshly grated Parmesan and/or Romano cheese
1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
Toss with 375 g (3/4 lb) pasta, cooked according to the package directions.
- For a new spin on creamed spinach, sauté 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) finely chopped onion and one minced garlic clove in 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) unsalted butter until tender, two minutes. Add 600 grams (20 ounces) trimmed and cleaned spinach. Cook, tossing once or twice, until just wilted, about one minute. Stir in 50 millilitres (1/4 cup) ricotta cheese, two millilitres (1/2 teaspoon) salt and one millilitres (1/4 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste).
- For an easy overnight cream pie, beat together 375 millilitres (1 1/2 cups) ricotta cheese, 375 millilitres (1 1/2 cups) cream cheese, 150 millilitres (3/4 cup) sugar, 45 millilitres (three tablespoons) brandy or rum, 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) vanilla extract and three eggs. Pour into a prepared graham cracker crust and bake at 100°C (200°F) overnight (six to eight hours). Cool completely on a rack then refrigerate for one hour before serving.
