Herbed Ricotta with Roasted Tomatoes
This slightly spicy Herbed Ricotta Dip with Garlic Roasted Tomatoes is just as flavorful as it is festive. Creamy ricotta cheese, whipped with a mixture of fresh herbs, and topped with roasted, garlicky cherry tomatoes and served up dip-style.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Herbed Ricotta
- 16 oz container whole milk ricotta cheese 2 cups
- 1-2 Serrano chilies roughly chopped
- ¼ bunch chopped cilantro stems and leaves about ⅓ cup
- ¼ bunch finely chopped parsley about ⅓ cup
- 6-8 large leaves of basil
- 3 cloves garlic
- Salt to taste
Garlic Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 pint container of cherry tomatoes halved, about 2 cups
- 5 cloves garlic sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon red chili flakes optional
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
To serve
- 2 tablespoon Balsamic glaze to drizzle
- Crostini or sourdough bread/baguette
Instructions
Herbed Ricotta
- Whip the ricotta with herbs and garlic in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Season with salt.
Garlic Roasted Tomatoes:
- Add extra virgin olive oil and sliced garlic in a wide skillet and heat up on low heat. We want to heat up the oil slowly so that the garlic does not brown and burn. This will turn the garlic bitter.
- Once the oil is hot and garlic begins to sizzle, add tomatoes, chili flakes (if using), salt and pepper.
- Increase the heat to medium high and let everything cook together for 8-10 minutes. If you are using whole cherry tomatoes they will burst and release their juices. Turn the heat off once the tomatoes are roasted and slightly caramelized.
To serve:
- Spread the herbed ricotta on a large platter or serving dish and spoon the garlic roasted cherry tomatoes on top. Drizzle the balsamic glaze and serve with crostini or toasted bread/baguette slices
Notes
You can adjust the spice level to your liking by using fewer Serrano peppers. 1-2 peppers give it a nice kick. You can also use jalapenos to lower the heat or Thai peppers to increase the spice level.
You can find crostini at your local grocery store’s bakery section or you can ask them to slice a sourdough or baguette loaf for you.
The ricotta can be prepared ahead and kept in the fridge for up to a day. When ready to serve, bring it out before you start prepping and cooking the tomatoes.
The ricotta can be prepared ahead and kept in the fridge for up to a day. When ready to serve, bring it out before you start prepping and cooking the tomatoes.