What to do with leftover ricotta?

[Susan]

Hello Fellow CLers~

I made the Penne with Zucchini and Ricotta last night (yum!) and have a lots of leftover ricotta cheese (accidentally bought a larger size container than needed). I would appreciate any ideas about what to do with the rest of the ricotta (besides regular lasagna).

Thanks,
Susan

[Mamasue]

Susan,

How much do you have leftover? Its good spread on toast with a jam or jelly of your choice. I could come with some recipes but need to know if you have 1 cup, 2 cups, 1 pound, etc. I'll check in tonight when I come home from work.

[anna]

A couple of years ago (i think) CL had a segment on muffins and the ingredient for moisture was ricotta. I think it included banana nut, carrot and blueberry. If you're interested I'll try to get more specific as to the time and date.

[LSB]

You could try stuffed shells. I don't have a recipe handy, but they're really good and I think the main ingredient is ricotta. Let me know if you want me to find a recipe.

An Italian friend of mine also makes a pasta sauce with some ricotta and some of the pasta water to thin it - add garlic and herbs, whatever you like. Or you can make a gorgonzola sauce - but it's not light. She made that too and I could get the recipe (altho it will be a while because she's on vacation right now).

Louise

[Susan]

Sorry, I meant to put how much I have in my original post...about 2 1/2 cups. :-)

~~Susan~~

[CATHIEA]

Ricotta is also very good in meatloaf, or whip it up with fruit juice and berries for a dip, or add some to eggs for an omlette.
CathieA

[lorilei]

This recipe is just superb! I've made it multiple times, and my husband just loves it. They're good with or without tomato sauce and they make excellent leftovers... Another Mollie Katzen original. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

And the exciting part is that you could definitely cut in in half to use up the rest of your ricotta.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI

1/2 pound mozzarella cheese
1 large handful parsley
2 large cloves garlic
1 pound ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus extra for the top
1 1/4 cups unbleached white flour
Black pepper to taste
A little butter or olive oil for broiling

Fill a large kettle with water and put it up to boil. Meanwhile, grate the mozzarella and transfer it to a medium-sized bowl. Mince the parsley and garlic–either by hand or in a food processor and stir this into the grated cheese.

Beat together the ricotta and the eggs. (You can use the food processor for this, too.) Add this to the first mixture, with the salt,
1/4 cup parmesan, flour, and black pepper. Mix well.

When the water boils, reduce heat to a simmer, and drop in small blobs of batter, using 2 teaspoons. Simmer for about 15 minutes, then remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon, and put them on paper towels to drain. (The gnocchi will be soft.)

Shortly before serving, heat the broiler. Brush a baking dish with soft butter or olive oil, and arrange the gnocchi in the dish.
Sprinkle with extra parmesan, and broil until golden (8 to 10 minutes). Serve hot.

[Susan]

WOW!!! With all these delicious responses I think I will go to the store and get more ricotta so we can try them all!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif Thank you!

~~Susan~~

[robinf]

I've been known to eat ricotta straight out of the container ala cottage cheese! It delish.

[CATHIEA]

Here is an angel food trifle recipe from WW that uses ricotta:

1 c skim milk ricotta cheese
2 c aspartame-sweetened, vanilla yogurt
1/2 angel food cake cut into 1 inch cubes
2 c thawed frozen unsweetened berries
1/4 c + 2 Tbsp whipped desert topping (coolwhip)

Mix together ricotta and yogurt in a blender until smooth.
Arrange 1/2 cake cubes in bottom of a medium-sized glass bowl.
Top with 1 cup of berries.
Top with 1 1/2 c cheese-yogurt mixture
Top with remaining cake, 3/4 c berries and remaining cheese-yogurt mixture.
Decorate with remaining berries.
Top each serving with 1 Tbl whipped topping.

6 servings- 5 points (no other nutritional info available)

Very, Very yummy with blackberries or boysenberries.

CathieA

[Mamasue]

Susan,

Looks like you received a lot of help. Ricotta is also good crumbled on top of a plate of sliced tomatoes with fresh basil, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add ricotta to your omelets. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[CAROL ANN]

I like ricotta on a toasted english muffin. Top it with jam or jelly and it tastes like a cheese danish (well almost).

[MrsReber]

I use ricotta on my pizzas- just drop teaspoonfuls here and there. Also, my Italian grandmother used to always put a container of ricotta on the table to top off any pasta dishes we were having. It's great to put some ricotta on top of a good marinara sauce with pasta. Also, my grandmother would mix it with canned crushed pineapple and we'd eat it for dessert. It was actually quite good! We used to even add some coconut flakes on top!

[Leanne]

I often make calzones & use ricotta in them. Use whatever pizza toppings you like. The calzones can end up being pretty low-fat. I may do that tonight, now that I'm thinking about it!

[karen w]

There was also a recipe for Banana spice muffins on a recent thread that used ricotta. That's how I used my leftover ricotta after I made the penne with zucchini. They were very tasty.

[KimKelly]

I also make Baked Ziti with my left over Ricotta. I kind of made up this "mess", but I'll share what I can - sorry, I don't have any official measurements.

Cooked Ziti noodles
Ground beef
chopped Onion
Garlic
Ricotta Cheese
Crushed red pepper
Jarred Tomato sauce. (I use the Trader Joes Organic)

Brown the ground beef along with the onions and garlic. Add Tomato sauce and crushed red pepper (to taste) to heat. Turn off heat and add Ricotta (as much or as little as you like). Stir in the noodles. Pour into an oven proof pan. Top with grated mozzerella cheese. Bake at 350 (or 375 if you are in a huury!) for a while - (I'm terrible with directions, maybe 20 minutes or so?) Till heated thru and mozzerella is slightly browned.

Wow.... I was havning something else tonight, but I have remembered my left over ricotta and just decided this is our dinner!

I serve it with focaccia or sourdough and salad.

Hope you like it!
Kim

[Susan]

Oh, I just LOVE you people!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif I am just so thrilled with all these ricotta replies!!!

Kim~I have never made baked ziti before and have always wanted to. Thanks to you and your recipe I will! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Louise~please post your stuffed shell recipe when you have the chance.

Leanne~Do you have a recipe for the calzones you could share? My husband loves them and I've never made them before.

Thank you all!!!!!!!!


~~Susan~~