24 posts tagged “ricotta”

Meatball Lasagna
Serves 10 to 12

2 1/4 pounds (4 inches by 8 inches) fresh lasagna sheets
Coarse salt
10 cups homemade or store-bought pasta sauce
1/2 recipe Meatballs for Meatball Lasagna (recipe follows)
1 1/3 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 pounds (about 8 links) sweet Italian sausage, broiled and thinly sliced
2 pounds fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/4 cups)
2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
1 large egg

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season with salt. Add lasagna sheets, and cook until pliable and al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour 1 cup sauce into a shallow baking dish; set aside. Cut two sheets in half lengthwise to make four 2-by-8-inch sheets; set aside.

Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Dip half of a reserved cut sheet crosswise in the reserved sauce, and drape over a corner of the baking pan, leaving the sauce-covered end in the pan with the other half hanging over the edge. Repeat with remaining 3 cut sheets and corners. Line edges of pan in the same manner using full-size sheets dipped lengthwise. Finish lining the bottom of the pan with 2 full sheets.

In a medium bowl, toss to combine meatballs with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano, and 1/4 cup basil; spread evenly in bottom of dish. Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets. In the same bowl, toss sausages with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano; spread evenly in baking dish. Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets. In a medium bowl, combine mozzarella with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano; spread evenly in baking dish. Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets. In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1/3 cup pecorino Romano with ricotta and egg; spread evenly in baking dish. Top with 1 cup sauce.
Center pasta sheets on ricotta within 1/2-inch of the edge of dish. Brush draped lasagna with sauce, and fold over to seal and enclose.

Cover lasagna with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Double-wrap baking dish in aluminum foil. Place an ovenproof plate, upside down, in a large roasting pan; fill pan with 2 inches of hot water. Place lasagna on top of plate. Bake until lasagna reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees to 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 1 1/2 hours to 1 hour 40 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with remaining basil, and serve with remaining sauce, if desired.

Meatballs
Serves 10 to 12

3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6 garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, preferably chuck
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
3 large, whole eggs, lightly beaten
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Dried breadcrumbs, for work surface
Olive oil, for frying

Place breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Drizzle the milk over and let stand until absorbed. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Place the ground meats in a large bowl. Add breadcrumb mixture to meats along with the reserved onion and garlic, whole eggs, yolks, parsley, oregano, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until just combined.

Sprinkle breadcrumbs over work surface. Roll 3/4 cup meatball mixture into a thin strip, about 12 inches long; repeat 3 more times. Line strips next to one another; sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Cut strips into 1-inch lengths. Repeat process with remaining meat mixture.
Working in batches, transfer 1-inch pieces to a large sieve; sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs to prevent sticking. Toss until pieces become round and form meatballs.

Lightly coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil; set over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook meatballs until browned and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with additional oil and remaining meatballs.

Wild Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna
Serves 12

5 pounds fresh spinach, stems removed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3 garlic, finely sliced
1 pound ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds wild mushrooms, (chanterelles, oyster, and shiitake), trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup Madeira wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
1 one-pound package fresh spinach lasagna sheets

Wash spinach leaves well in three changes of cold water; shake dry. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large pan over medium heat. Add half the garlic; saute until light golden, about 2 minutes. Add half the spinach leaves, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain spinach in a colander. Repeat with another tablespoon butter and remaining garlic and spinach. When spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze to rid it of liquid. Roughly chop spinach; place in medium bowl. Add ricotta, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add a third of the mushrooms; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Saute until mushrooms are softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Deglaze skillet by pouring 1/4 cup Madeira into hot skillet with mushrooms and using a wooden spoon to loosen bits cooked onto skillet. Cook mushrooms until liquid has almost evaporated. Transfer cooked mushrooms to medium bowl. Repeat with another 2 tablespoons of butter, another third of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup Madeira. (Reserve the final third of mushrooms and Madiera for topping.) Add two-thirds of the chopped parsley to bowl with cooked mushrooms; stir.

In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat 4 cups milk. Melt 8 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Slowly add warmed milk; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Remove pan from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the nutmeg, and 1/2 cup grated cheese.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside 1/2 cup sauce. Assemble lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Place layer of lasagna sheets in pan, trimming to fit; spread 1 cup spinach mixture, 1 cup mushroom mixture, and 1/2 cup sauce on top of lasagna sheets. Repeat layers several times. For last layer, place a layer of lasagna sheets on top; spread 1/2 cup sauce over lasagna sheets. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated cheese. Bake lasagna until top is golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Just before serving, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add remaining third of the uncooked mushrooms; season with the remaining teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Deglaze skillet, with mushrooms in it, with the remaining 1/4 cup Madeira. Stir in the remaining third of fresh parsley.

In a small saucepan, combine reserved 1/2 cup sauce with remaining 1/2 cup milk. Over medium heat, whisk until warm and smooth. Spoon cooked mushrooms over each serving, or serve on the side. Serve lasagna with warmed sauce.

Lasagna (another version)
Serves 12

2 thirty-five-ounce cans plum tomatoes, (about 6 cups)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking sheet
2 finely chopped medium garlic cloves
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
20 fresh basil leaves, 8 torn, 12 whole
3 pounds fresh ricotta cheese
3/4 grated cup (2 1/2 ounces) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 pound grated mozzarella cheese
Spinach Pasta

Pass tomatoes through a food mill fitted with the large disc; set aside. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook until soft and light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add reserved tomatoes, and simmer until thickened, about 35 minutes. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir in torn basil leaves; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, butter, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir until well combined. Set aside.

Oil a rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Cover and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add one sheet of pasta at a time to boiling water. Cook for 1 minute, and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all pasta has been cooked.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees;. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper; set aside. Assemble the lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Place a layer of lasagna sheets in the pan, allowing sheets to hang over the ends of pan. Spread 1/4 of the ricotta-cheese mixture evenly over pasta and sprinkle with mozzarella. Top with a layer of pasta, cut to fit inside pan. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce over pasta. Repeat layering process, alternating pasta layers with cheese and sauce layers (there should be a total of three cheese layers and two sauce layers).

Bring pasta hanging over ends of the pan up and over the top of final layer. Use more pasta, if necessary, to completely cover top. Spread with 1 1/2 to 2 cups tomato sauce. Dollop top of lasagna with remaining ricotta cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Place on prepared baking sheet, and transfer to oven. Bake until the top is bubbling and light golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes; garnish with whole basil leaves.

Lasagna
Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart
Work time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes

1 pound ground turkey
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella, (5 cups grated)
1 (26 ounces) chopped tomatoes
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, (casings removed)
1 1/4 cups ricotta
1 pound no-boil lasagna noodles
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 ounces Parmesan, (1 cup grated)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 medium chopped onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 basil, (3 tablespoons coarsely chopped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees;. Crush the garlic; grate the cheeses. Chop the onion. Wash the basil and pick and chop the leaves.
 
To make the sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook onion, garlic, salt, and pepper 1 minute. Add turkey and sausage; cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and oregano. Reduce heat; simmer 1 minute. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in basil. Coat baking dish with cooking spray or oil; spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of noodles. Next, spread a third of the ricotta, then 1 1/2 cups sauce, on top. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and 3 tablespoons Parmesan. Repeat these steps 2 more times.

Top with a layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, and mozzarella; sprinkle with 3 tablespoons Parmesan (save the rest for sprinkling over servings). Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake 20 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Vegetable Variation: This vegetarian version of our sauce makes a hearty and delicious lasagna. Clean and trim 8 ounces button mushrooms; finely chop in a food processor. Follow the recipe, but in step 3, cook onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add mushrooms, 1 cup diced zucchini, and 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper instead of turkey and sausage; cook, stirring, until just tender, about 6 minutes. After simmering with the tomatoes and oregano, stir in 4 cups chopped spinach along with the basil. Then follow steps 4 through 6 to assemble the dish.

Baked Rigatoni
Serves 8 to 10

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 (six-ounce) tomato paste
2 (28-ounce) unpeeled crushed tomatoes in puree
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
1 pound rigatoni
2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 1/2 pounds whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees;. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and sugar. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook until slightly reduced, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add rigatoni, and cook, stirring occasionally, 9 minutes. Drain in a colander, and rinse under cool water until cool. Set aside. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to break up any large pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta with half of the mozzarella. Stir to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. To assemble, spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add half of the rigatoni in an even layer. Spread with 1/2 cup sauce, ricotta mixture, sausage, and 1 cup more sauce. Top with remaining rigatoni, and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Any remaining sauce may be reheated and served on the side or reserved for another use. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top to cover. Place baking dish on a baking sheet, and transfer to oven. Bake until bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.

Spinach and Ham Pie
Serves 8

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 ten-ounce bags spinach, stemmed and well washed, but not dried
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 large eggs
1 pound fresh ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 ounces boiled ham, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (optional)

Make the pastry: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the butter and cream cheese. Process until combined. Add cream, and pulse to combine. Add the flour and salt, and pulse just until a ball forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few times. Divide dough in half, pat each half into a disc, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees;. Make the filling: Place the spinach in a very large pot over medium-high heat. Cover, and cook, stirring once or twice, until spinach wilts, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pot, and set aside to cool. Squeeze dry, wringing out the cooked spinach in cheesecloth (there should be 2 cups), and coarsely chop.

Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add oil and onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent but not brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat to cool briefly.

In a large bowl, lightly beat 2 eggs. Add ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper; mix to combine. Stir in the spinach and onions. Add ham; stir to combine.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to a 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch glass pie plate, allowing the excess dough to hang over the edge of the plate. Trim edges to 1/2 inch. Spread spinach mixture evenly into pie plate. On a lightly floured surface, roll out second disc of dough to a 13-inch circle. Transfer to top of the pie. Trim top crust to overlap the bottom by 1/4 inch. Fold top crust over bottom, and crimp edges together with your fingers. Cut a few small vents. Beat the remaining egg with a few drops of water, and brush over surface of pie. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 1 hour. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Italian Savory Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 pound whole milk ricotta
3 large eggs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 pound mozzarella cheese
1/4 pound prosciutto, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten, for brushing

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in center. Prepare crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles cornmeal. With processor running, add eggs and process until dough comes together and forms a ball, about 1 minute. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface, and knead until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.

Prepare filling: In a large bowl, stir together ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, mozzarella, prosciutto, parsley, and pepper; set aside.

Divide dough into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll larger piece into a 12-inch circle; gently transfer to a 9-inch glass pie dish. Place filling in pie plate and spread evenly; set aside.

Roll remaining dough into a 9-by-9-inch square; cut into 1/2-inch wide strips. Using strips, form a lattice pattern over filling. Trim bottom crust, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Crimp edges to seal. Brush with egg, and bake until filling is firm, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

Lemon-Ricotta Poppy Seed Pancakes
Makes 16 pancakes

6 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of 2 large lemons
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Vegetable oil, for griddle
Maple syrup, warmed
Berries, for garnish

Place egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until they form firm, glossy peaks. In a large bowl, beat together ricotta, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, lemon zest, and poppy seeds. Using a rubber spatula, stir flour mixture into ricotta mixture. Fold a large spoonful of whipped egg whites into ricotta mixture. Continue folding in remaining egg whites.
 
Coat a griddle or large skillet with oil and heat over high heat until very hot, then reduce heat to medium. Working in batches, place 1/4 cup batter for each pancake on griddle, leaving space, as they will spread. Cook until golden and top begins to bubble, about 2 minutes. Gently turn and continue cooking until bottoms are light brown. Transfer to a serving plate and keep warm until all the pancakes have cooked. Serve with maple syrup and berries.

Mushroom and Ricotta Cheese Pate
Yields 10 servings

1 pound mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup toasted pecans
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 cup freshly toasted bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 sprigs of fresh oregano
1 teaspoon salt
Cayenne to taste

Butter an 8-cup loaf pan and line with waxed paper or parchment paper. Process the mushrooms, celery, pecans, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and parsley in a food processor until a coarse mixture forms. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallots. Saute the shallots until pale.  Add the mushroom mixture, breadcrumbs, basil, oregano, salt and cayenne; mix well.  Pack the mixture into the prepared pan.  Cover with additional buttered waxed paper. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until tester comes out clean.  Let stand until cool.  Invert onto a serving platter.

Crock Pot Lasagna

1 jar (26 oz) of favorite tomato sauce
12 oz of browned Italian sausage (can substitute ground beef)
1 (32 oz) tub of ricotta
1 (8oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
¾ c of grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 box no-cook lasagna noodles

Mix sausage, sauce and ½ cup of water. In another bowl mix ricotta, 1 ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ½ cup parmesan, garlic and seasoning. Spread ¼ of sauce over bottom of crock pot. Top with 1/3 of the noodles – breaking to overlap as needed. Spread 1/3 of cheese mixture covering noodles completely. Repeat sauce, noodles and cheese layers. Spread remaining sauce on top. Cover and cook on low for 4.5 hours. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan on top and let stand for ten minutes to melt.