Easy Baked Ricotta

About this recipe

• Very easy to make: it comes together with little effort. Simply mix or process the ingredients, dump them in a baking dish, and bake as directed until golden brown. That's it.
• Flavorings: not only with the ingredients as you can add other cheeses together with the parmesan, but you can also serve it with different toppings.
• Make ahead: it keeps well for a few days in the fridge, so you can plan ahead when making it. Simply reheat it when ready to serve.
• Serving it: you can serve it as a baked ricotta dip on its own, as part of a charcuterie board, or add some flour and make a crustless ricotta quiche.

Ingredients

I give you two options, as a dip or as a crustless pie. Both are fantastic.

For creamy ricotta dip:

• Ricotta: use full fat for a richer result. That said, you can use low-fat ricotta, especially from a good source.
• Cream: heavy, whipping, or double cream; they all work. A small amount is used for a smoother texture.
• Cheese: I use parmesan and sometimes mix it with another semi-hard cheese, like fontina. You want it to have saltiness and a sharp flavor.
• Eggs: fresh, large.
• Oil: olive oil is my first choice always, and I never use others. But you can. Melted butter also works instead of oil and can be used interchangeably.
• Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
• Black pepper: freshly ground is always the best.
• Herbs: several work well for this recipe. I usually use thyme, chives, basil, and sometimes fresh oregano leaves. Parsley pairs well, as does rosemary, but it's stronger.
• Spice: I use red pepper flakes or Merken (smoked paprika).

For crustless ricotta quiche:

• Ingredients above.
• All-purpose flour: adding flour will make it firmer, allowing it to be cut into portions.

About ricotta cheese

Ricotta is a soft, grainy cheese made from cow's milk in this case (though it can also be made with goat, sheep, or buffalo milk). The type I use for all of my recipes is the regular ricotta sold in supermarkets or specialty stores (image below).

It's creamy and can sometimes have an almost sweet taste.

Quality varies according to brands; you can find some with additives to make it thicker.

I try to buy original ricotta sourced from good small producers. It usually tastes better, and I like the consistency more.

Does ricotta cheese melt in the oven?

No, it doesn't. It will still be grainy, a texture that can be somewhat smoothed out by processing it.

Can you freeze ricotta cheese?

Yes, you can, but the texture will not be the same after you thaw it. So it will not be great for all recipes. It can be used for this one and pizza rustica because it will be mixed with other ingredients and baked again. But it's not ideal for ricotta toast, for example, where the cheese is raw.

How to make baked ricotta

There are two ways to assemble this super easy recipe: by hand or in the food processor. It will depend on what texture you want to achieve.

Both methods retain ricotta's grainy texture because its what sets it apart.

By hand: you'll get a grainy, almost crumbly ricotta cheese dip. You need a medium bowl, wooden spoon, whisk, or spatula. Simply combine the ingredients together, making sure the eggs are well incorporated.

In the food processor: this is great for smoothing out the ricotta mixture a little. It's my favorite way. There's no need for much processing, but the ingredients will be better integrated than by hand.

Baking

Make sure you don't overbake it. Ricotta is already grainy, and if you overbake it, it will be pasty and crumbly. This is especially important if you're not serving it right away and will need to reheat it later.

When is it done? When the top is lightly golden brown but the center still jiggles slightly.

Serving baked ricotta

• Temperature: this baked ricotta appetizer can be served warm or at room temperature. I find it way better hot or warm, topped with roasted cherry tomatoes.
• Crackers or pita chips: after trying it several ways, a crunchy cracker or oven-dried thin toast is the best way to let it shine. French crusty bread, for example, is too mushy due to the soft crumb.
• Charcuterie board: make one with Mediterranean flavors and add this delicious dip alongside olives, breadsticks, crackers, baked tomatoes and garlic cloves, other dips like eggplant hummus, fresh and dried fruit, and nuts.
• Light lunch: if you make the crustless ricotta quiche (see recipe card for details), it makes a great plate with a salad, especially for hot weather months.

Making a crustless ricotta quiche

If you go this route, you'll add flour to the recipe, and the result will be a more consistent and firmly baked ricotta recipe that you'll serve in wedges.

The toppings can be customized to your palate.

• Mediterranean veggies: just like we suggest for the dip, oven-baked tomatoes, garlic, red onion, zucchini, eggplant, and other vegetables and pile them up when serving the quiche.
• Pizza style: use your favorite topping, from traditional pepperoni or sausage to veggie or tomato sauce and mozzarella.
• Cheese: add some melting cheese like mozzarella, taleggio, or maybe blue cheese to the ricotta cheese mixture before baking.
• Lemon and garlic: add oven-baked garlic, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of lemon zest to the ricotta, and use fresh herbs like thyme or oregano.

Kitchen notes

• Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
• Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 
• Ricotta: I buy the regular cheese and add heavy cream. You can sometimes find ricotta with the addition of cream.
• Storing baked ricotta: it lasts at least four days in the refrigerator, always covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, and reheats beautifully. I don't recommend freezing it, as it will change a lot after you defrost it, even if you warm it in the oven.