When the holidays (and holiday parties) are in sight, it’s a good idea to have an appetizer ace up your sleeve and this ricotta bake recipe is it. You could turn to cheese plates, but warm appetizers are a way to make family and friends cozy. This creamy spoonable cheese usually is associated with lasagna or even as a topping for toast, but that changes now. Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs get stirred into the dip and tile the top too. Cover and chill leftovers in the refrigerator and then reheat it in a preheated oven set to 375°F to warm for 5-7 minutes. Try this dip with crackers or crostini.
Honey Fig Baked Ricotta Appetizer
Swap out the cheese ball for a warm ricotta appetizer spooned on crostini. Many ricotta recipes use it as a filling. Here it’s the star with honey and figs.
Nutrition
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 cup Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs chopped into very small pieces
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 1 lemon large, zest and juice
- 2 cloves garlic . minced
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tbsp fresh chives minced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- olive oil extra virgin
Garnish
- 2 tbsp Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs sliced thin
- 1 tbsp raw pistachios crushed
- 1/2 tsp fresh chives minced
- olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 1-quart baking dish well with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest and juice, honey, chives, garlic, salt, and a generous amount of black pepper. Mix well to fully combine. NOTE: figs can slightly discolor the ricotta as it bakes, so I do not combine them into the mixture.
- Work in layers to prepare the dish. Place 1/4 of the ricotta mixture into the baking dish, and then 1/3 of the figs. Repeat. The top layer should be ricotta mixture.
- Drizzle dip with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until hot. Remove from oven. Drizzle with a little bit more olive oil, and garnish with sliced figs, crushed pistachio, and remaining chives. If desired, add a little more fresh-cracked black pepper.
- Serve with crackers or bread. Best served immediately while hot, but also delicious at room temperature.
Notes
By Karyl Henry
