We got this idea from a visit to a local restaurant when our friends told us we had to try their whipped ricotta appetizer. It’s not something that would have ever caught our eye had we not been tipped off to its greatness, but try it, we did…and it was absolutely delicious! The moment we took our first bite, we immediately got to thinking about how we could recreate it at home (and broadly apply the concept). The first attempt at the idea of whipped cheese we made was Whipped Goat Cheese Beets, which was a huge hit. Then, the other day, we bought some ricotta and gave that cheese a try.
The cheese itself was a resounding success…it was creamy with the classic ricotta earthiness and a hint of saltiness that we imparted with a pinch of kosher salt. Then, we drizzled a honey and balsamic glaze atop to add some complex sweetness. Lastly, we melted some butter, brushed it on Italian bread, and toasted that as the vessel with which to serve our cheese (via a good smearing). T’was definitely a successful smear campaign.
While we think this is glorious as an appetizer, we opted to serve it as an entree alongside a Kale Salad.
Time: 15 Minutes
Ingredients (makes 3 servings):
- For your Cheese:
- 15-16 oz Ricotta Cheese
- 1-2 Teaspoons Milk
- A pinch of Kosher Salt
- 2 Tablespoons of Honey
- 1 Teaspoon of Balsamic Vinegar
- For your Bread:
- Fresh Italian Loaf
- 2-3 Tablespoons of Butter
- Kosher Salt
Method:
- Slice your Italian Loaf into slices about 3/4″ thick.
- Melt your butter (we used a microwave to do this), and brush it atop your bread. Then, give the buttered side a little kosher salt sprinkle. If you like, you can brush both sides, but we found doing just the one worked well enough.
- Heat a griddle, and when it’s hot, place your bread face down on it, and cook until the buttered side becomes golden brown.
- As your bread cooks, turn your attention to your ricotta:
- Scoop your cheese into the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Add a little pinch of kosher salt.
- Add in your milk.
- Use your whisk attachment to begin to whip your cheese and milk together. Start on low, and as everything comes together, increase the speed. Whip until fluffy.
- By this point, your bread should be done cooking on the buttered side. Once it’s golden brown, flip to crisp the other side.
- As your cheese whips, and your bread cooks, combine your honey and balsamic vinegar into a small bowl, and use a spoon to stir together.
- When your bread is crispy on both sides, remove from the griddle, and cut each piece into two “triangles.” Then, arrange on your plate(s).
- Scoop your whipped cheese onto your plate(s), and drizzle your balsamic infused honey atop.
- Devour, and enjoy!
