Baked Ricotta With Grilled Radicchio
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA SUMMERIntroduction
If you want to forgo the grilled radicchio alongside, then do and just make a green salad to go with it, but the combination, as it stands, is perfect: the heat-wilted radicchio loses some of its bitterness, but keeps just enough perfectly to offset the delicate, not-quite-blandness of the ricotta. The summer-scentedness of thyme deliciously permeates both.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
If you want to forgo the grilled radicchio alongside, then do and just make a green salad to go with it, but the combination, as it stands, is perfect: the heat-wilted radicchio loses some of its bitterness, but keeps just enough perfectly to offset the delicate, not-quite-blandness of the ricotta. The summer-scentedness of thyme deliciously permeates both.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 6
For the Baked Ricotta
- 500 grams ricotta cheese (full-fat / whole milk)
- 2 large egg whites (lightly beaten)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- Maldon sea salt flakes
- pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Radicchio
- approx. 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 large radicchio (cut into eighths lengthways)
- 1 lemon (to serve)
For the Baked Ricotta
- 2 cups ricotta cheese (full-fat / whole milk)
- 2 large egg whites (lightly beaten)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- kosher salt
- pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Radicchio
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 large radicchio (cut into eighths lengthways)
- 1 lemon (to serve)
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/160°C Fan/350ºF.
- Mix the ricotta with the beaten egg whites and add most of the chopped thyme, the lemon zest and salt and pepper.
- Brush a 20cm / 8 inch Springform tin with oil, and pour in the ricotta mixture then drizzle with olive oil and scatter a little more chopped thyme over the top. Don't be alarmed at how shallow this is; it is not intended to be other than a slim disc.
- Place on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes. The baked ricotta will rise a little and set dry on top, but will not turn a golden colour like a cake.
- Let the tin cool a little before springing open, and removing to a plate. Leave to cool a little longer, then cut into wedges and eat, still warm, with the radicchio.
- Talking of which, you should get on with this just before serving, which really means preheating the grill while the ricotta-cake is cooling. Mix the olive oil and thyme in a shallow bowl, and then wipe the radicchio slices in the herby oil before grilling them for a few minutes, turning them as necessary, until slightly wilted and golden at the edges.
- Add a squeeze of lemon at the end before serving with the baked ricotta.
- Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/160°C Fan/350ºF.
- Mix the ricotta with the beaten egg whites and add most of the chopped thyme, the lemon zest and salt and pepper.
- Brush a 20cm / 8 inch Springform tin with oil, and pour in the ricotta mixture then drizzle with olive oil and scatter a little more chopped thyme over the top. Don't be alarmed at how shallow this is; it is not intended to be other than a slim disc.
- Place on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes. The baked ricotta will rise a little and set dry on top, but will not turn a golden colour like a cake.
- Let the tin cool a little before springing open, and removing to a plate. Leave to cool a little longer, then cut into wedges and eat, still warm, with the radicchio.
- Talking of which, you should get on with this just before serving, which really means preheating the grill while the ricotta-cake is cooling. Mix the olive oil and thyme in a shallow bowl, and then wipe the radicchio slices in the herby oil before grilling them for a few minutes, turning them as necessary, until slightly wilted and golden at the edges.
- Add a squeeze of lemon at the end before serving with the baked ricotta.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
It is not advisable to make ahead or store.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
It is not advisable to make ahead or store.
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What 2 Others have said
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Posted by Fraumitmotorrad on 24th May 2016
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Posted by nikitatong on 18th January 2015
Show more commentsThis was a nice change of pace when I was in a real cooking rut. I feel like I wanted the ricotta to be less lemony and more something else, but I'm not sure what! The grilled radicchio was tasty! We added a green salad and Italian bread.
Amazing! I added a teaspoon of chilli flakes to add a kick, delicious!