Ricotta is best known as the mild white Italian cheese stuffed into ravioli, manicotti and pasta shells, or the soft white curds rejected by the picky eater in the family when it's in lasagna.
However, there are many other ways to use ricotta, which can be made with milk from cows, goats or sheep (or in Italy, water buffaloes). It's easily found in the dairy section of grocery stores, usually near the cottage cheese and sour cream.
If you can get your hands on some fresh ricotta, that's even better.
Fresh ricotta has many uses. Apart from pasta dishes, it can be baked with garlic and a bit of lemon zest into a cheesy spread for crostini or crackers. It can add tang to pancakes, substitute for cooked potatoes in your favorite gnocchi recipe and can add excitement to cakes and cookies, like the delicate Holy Cannoli cookies below.
Holy Cannoli Cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 cup softened unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
10 ounces mini chocolate chips (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup shelled pistachios, optional
DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add beaten eggs and ricotta cheese and mix until well combined.
Add vanilla extract, cinnamon and fresh orange zest.
Add baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until well combined. Mix in flour.
Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips and nuts, if using. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough 2 inches apart on prepared sheet. (I used a medium cookie scooper.) Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly brown on bottom and around the edges. Remove to cooling rack to cool.
Melt remaining chocolate chips in the microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring in between until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
— Recipe from Valentino Cheese, New Castle, PA
Tribune News Service
