Baked Ricotta with Stone Fruit and Honey
Lilia, Brooklyn, NY
“This dessert is for the lover of the savory-sweet combo and who would look for a cheese course instead of dessert. Ricotta is definitely one of my top five favorite foods; I have been known to eat it plain on toast. The most important thing about this recipe is buying the right ricotta. Do not buy the regular grocery store variety. It is generally watery and doesn’t have enough fat content to get the creaminess you’re after. Take the time to seek out a more authentic artisanal variety, or go to your closest old-school Italian market to get the good stuff.” —Missy Robbins
Ingredients
Ricotta:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- Sea salt
- 20 grinds black pepper, coarse
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 whole lemon peel, pith removed
- 8 thyme sprigs
To serve:
- 2 nectarines, plums, or peaches, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Sea salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 sprigs thyme, leaves only
- Zest of half a lemon
Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Grease four sections of a muffin tin with 1 tablespoon olive oil, draining off excess oil.
Divide the ricotta among the four sections and press down gently just to make sure they will hold together. Place the pan in the oven and bake until just set and the cheese can be removed without coming apart, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Use a miniature offset spatula or knife to gently separate the edges of the ricotta from the side of the molds. Place a baking sheet lined with parchment paper firmly against the muffin tin and carefully flip over so that the ricotta transfers to the baking sheet.
Drizzle the cheese with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season the cheese with sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Top each with the pieces of lemon peel and thyme sprigs. Place the sheet pan back into the oven and bake until slightly golden brown around the edges, another 10 to 12 minutes.
Place the fruit wedges in a bowl and dress with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with sea salt.
Put each baked ricotta on an individual plate for serving and drizzle with the honey and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Top with the dressed fruit, thyme leaves, and lemon zest.
—From Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner...Life! Recipes and Adventures from My Home Kitchen by Missy Robbins with Carrie King/Rizzoli Publishing
Yield
4 servings
