Description
Creamy homemade ricotta with honey and lemon combines Mediterranean simplicity and rustic charm. Salt, milk, and fresh herbs create a delightful spread you can savor with crusty bread or seasonal fruit.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz (454 g) whole milk ricotta
- 4 tbsps (60 mL) honey
- 3 tbsps (45 mL) olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary (or ½ tsp dried)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Baguette or crackers for dipping
Instructions
- Preparation: Combine ricotta, olive oil, salt, rosemary, honey, and lemon in a food processor, ensuring all ingredients are at room temperature for optimal blending.
- Blending: Pulse the mixture, incorporating olive oil, salt, and finely chopped rosemary while periodically scraping the processor’s sides to achieve a silky, uniform texture.
- Zesting and Flavoring: Grate the lemon’s outer skin and add both zest and freshly squeezed juice into the processor, intensifying the citrus profile and creating depth of flavor.
- Texture Refinement: Continue processing until the ricotta transforms into a smooth, light consistency with no visible chunks, ensuring a creamy and elegant spread.
- Plating and Garnishing: Transfer the whipped ricotta to a serving dish, creating elegant swoops and peaks, then gently warm honey in a microwave-safe container.
- Final Touches: Drizzle the warmed honey across the ricotta’s surface, sprinkle additional lemon zest and cracked black pepper for a final aromatic burst.
- Serving Suggestion: Present the spread alongside crusty baguette slices or crisp artisan crackers, offering a versatile appetizer or light dessert option.
Notes
- Zest with Precision: Grate only the lemon’s yellow outer layer, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.
- Blend for Smoothness: Pulse ingredients in short bursts, scraping processor sides to achieve a silky, lump-free texture.
- Warm Honey Carefully: Heat honey briefly in microwave, stopping before it becomes too hot and loses its delicate flavor.
- Serve Creatively: Pair with toasted baguette slices or crisp crackers to complement the ricotta’s creamy, bright profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 405
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 233 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg