Homemade Ricotta with Garlic Confit & Hazelnuts

This is a dish you might find on the menu of a fine Italian restaurant.  It’s one of my favourite vegetarian starters  with a mix of textures, complex but delicious. The original recipe is by the Mozza chef Nancy Silverton but I have tweaked it a little.  For those familiar with making paneer (an Indian cheese) the process of making ricotta is similar. If you dont’t want to make your own ricotta, substitute it with some fresh burrata or mozzarella di bufala (although the ricotta tends to lighter and creamier).

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Homemade Ricotta with Garlic Confit & Hazelnuts
I find the use of only lemon juice unreliable for curdling the milk to make the ricotta, so I also use vinegar as a back up. Although the recipe has many components, everything can be done in advance, except the toasting of the sourdough and the final plating. Perfect if you want a statement starter but with no last minute stress. The best part is any leftover bits can be easily used. See the notes below before setting out.
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 45 min
Cook Time 45 min
Servings
Ingredients
Homemade ricotta
Garlic confit
Crostini
Hazelnuts & puree
Lemon vinaigrette
For serving
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 45 min
Cook Time 45 min
Servings
Ingredients
Homemade ricotta
Garlic confit
Crostini
Hazelnuts & puree
Lemon vinaigrette
For serving
Instructions
  1. Homemade ricotta - Combine milk, cream, salt and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring just to a boil without stirring. Immediately remove pan from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
  2. Let mixture stand for 15 minutes at room temperature. As time passes, the curds will begin to separate from the whey. If the milk doesn’t curdle well, i.e. the whey looks too milky, your lemon may not be acidic enough; add the second tablespoon of the vinegar and stir gently, so you don't break up the curds too much, and let stand for 5 minutes more.
  3. Using a large spoon or measuring cup, spoon curds into a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a large bowl. Drain for about 20 minutes. For this recipe, you want the ricotta to be quite creamy, and not dry. However if you are using it to make a filling for e.g. for ravioli, let it drain longer until is becomes drier. The recipe makes 2 cups. Refrigerate.
  4. The drained whey can be used to cook beans, or added to soup as it’s nutritious. (Just remember that it has lemon and salt).
  5. Garlic confit - Heat all ingredients for the confit in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbles form on garlic. Reduce heat to low; simmer until garlic cloves are golden brown and soft, about 25 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning (cloves will continue to brown as they cool). Remove pan from heat; let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover and chill. Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.
  6. Hazelnut puree - Heat oven to 170C or 150C fan. Place hazelnuts on a baking tray; roast, tossing nuts occasionally, until golden brown and fragrant, 10-12 minutes. Let cool.
  7. Place 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts in a medium bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt
  8. Purée the remaining 1/2 cup hazelnuts, 2 tablespoons hazelnut oil, 1/2 teaspoon zest, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until a wet, spreadable mixture forms. Transfer to a small bowl and taste seasoning. Don’t wash food processor, see next step.
  9. Roasted Garlic vinaigrette - Combine 1/4 cup drained garlic confit (reserve rest) , 3 tablespoons lemon juice with 3 tablespoons oil from the garlic confit oil and process until well combined and no chunks of garlic remain. Transfer vinaigrette to a bowl and season with salt.
  10. To serve - Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the sourdough slices on a baking tray in a single layer and brush tops with olive oil. Bake until golden brown and crispy, 15-20 minutes. Rub oiled sides of crostini with cut side of garlic clove.
  11. Lay out 8 serving plates. Spoon 1 tablespoon vinaigrette in centre of each plate; top with generous 1/4 cup of ricotta. Scatter the reserved hazelnuts and some of remaining garlic confit onto each plate.
  12. Smear 1 heaping tablespoon of hazelnut purée on each crostini; sprinkle with Maldon sea salt flakes. Cut each toast diagonally; place 2 halves on each plate. Grate some lemon zest over ricotta and serve.
Recipe Notes
  • The vinegar must be distilled. Don't use white wine or malt vinegar as that will flavour the ricotta.
  • If using hazelnuts with skin, see the recipe for Dark Chocolate & Hazelnut Spread on how to take the skin off easily.
  • Using leftovers -  lemon vinaigrette is excellent as a salad dressing, the hazelnut puree on toast for breakfast, and the ricotta sprinkled over a salad or mixed into a pasta.
  • If you can't find hazelnut oil, use another nut oil like walnut. For those in Singapore, Vom Fass at ION Orchard has very good hazelnut oil. Always refrigerate nut oils as they go rancid very quickly, and use within 2-3 months.
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