POST 7: Glorious Ricotta
We eat a lot of ricotta. It is a great especially as a substitute to animal protein.
May I suggest that you buy a full basket of low-fat ricotta, rather than picking up a small amount from the deli. The reason I go for low fat is that it is very easy to work with. Full fat crumbles very easily.
So, this is how I use it.
Peel away the packaging, let it drain for a few minutes then very quickly upend it onto your chopping board. Take a large kitchen knife and slice off the ends till you have a perfect square left – about half the ricotta. Cut the square into one-inch cubes, set them well spaced on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and stick them in the oven at 200 degrees centigrade. Bake till the edges look golden – about 20 minutes. Remove, cool and store in a zip lock bag in the freezer.
Use this to make Saag Paneer, which is an Indian preparation of Spinach and Ricotta.
Now for the other bits and pieces of ricotta on your chopping board.
Use them for the Spinach and Ricotta pasta sauce.