A few loose ends came together that resulted in these soft summer berry ricotta squares.
I had half a kilo of languishing ricotta cheese in my fridge, which I had bought to make these savory zucchini corn and bacon crepes, or some stuffed jumbo sea shell pasta. Or maybe this lemon polenta cake. Who knows. It’s the third time I find myself buying ricotta and not using it in the last few months, so it’s accurate to say I don’t know either.
Then there is the issue of the freezer. The black hole that sucks anything and everything I make. To use later of course. I don’t throw away good food, I freeze it. Then I throw half of it away on a later date. But since it’s not freshly made and have lost any perkiness it once had, it doesn’t bother me much.
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But summer berries are a different story. I took the time last summer to individually freeze and then bag sweet fresh raspberries, blackberries and pitted cherries. For now, a cold, windy and crisp day like today, a day before the official start of winter, and my birthday.
Yep, today is my birthday. A pile of years have managed to creep surreptitiously and taken the count to 45.
And since celebrating my birthday is something I enjoy a lot, today I’m spending it at a friend’s house, the one I mentioned in the chocolate chip cookie ice cream post. I went back and forth with what to do, how many friends to invite, a dinner, a brunch, a piyama party… too old huh?
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In the end my friend and her sister both offered their houses, since I´m still feeling a bit like I’m living in a battlefield after the flood two and a half months ago. I am not, but I don’t feel my house is all nice and shiny to have a celebration the way I like to do it. So me and my girlfriends, a small close group, are heading over to Maria’s house and having a brunch there. Isn’t she a great
friend? Aren’t good friends one of the main pillars in life?
friend? Aren’t good friends one of the main pillars in life?
As you read this we’re enjoying the holiday, since it’s flag day (and my birthday of course!), drinking coffee, eating sun dried tomato pesto tartines, fosforitos (glazed puff pastry filled with ham and cheese), boozy fudgy hazelnut brownies, summer berry ricotta squares, a few mimosas maybe…
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These creamy and dense squares are a must if you’re the least bit into sweet ricotta.
They have no crust but are similar to a ricotta pie, something very common in these latitudes. The berries are a tangy surprise, perfect to cut through the all that soft and monochromatic batter.
They have no crust but are similar to a ricotta pie, something very common in these latitudes. The berries are a tangy surprise, perfect to cut through the all that soft and monochromatic batter.
But I had to spend the day with all of you too, readers and friends of this little blog.
Life without it would not be the same, and without you it wouldn’t make sense.
So cheers to all of you and a big thank you from the bottom of my soul for taking even a second to drop by whenever you can.
Life without it would not be the same, and without you it wouldn’t make sense.
So cheers to all of you and a big thank you from the bottom of my soul for taking even a second to drop by whenever you can.
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This is the link to the recipe, it can be found at Banana & Chocolate. My only change was using frozen blackberries and raspberries on top.
Today’s 10 (double because it’s a birthday!) related recipes worth looking at:
Zabaglione: Italian Custard with Blackberries from Magnolia Days (one of my favorite desserts ever!)
Berries and Buttermilk Puddings from Parsley Sage and Sweet
Baked Ricotta with Lemon and Garlic from The Kitchn
Berries on a Cloud from Mel´s Kitchen Cafe
Spinach Almond and Berries Salad from That Skinny Chick can Bake (the reigning Berry Queen!)
Cherry Ricotta Tart from Pink Pattiserie
Blackberry Pie with Brandied Cream from Webicurean
Roasted Berries with Coconut and Lime from The Wimpy Vegetarian
Raspberry Ricotta Chocolate Cake from Playful Cooking
Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi with Vegetables from Hip Foodie Mom
Laura Dembowski says
June 25, 2013 at 02:46Happy birthday, Paula! I hope you had a wonderful day 🙂 These bars look like a great treat to celebrate with. I freeze tons of fruit too. I don't pit the cherries first – too much work.
e / dig in says
June 24, 2013 at 07:41a belated but heartfelt birthday to you, paula. you are one of my favourite people in the blogging world! i hope you had a fabulous day with your friends – and thank you for sharing it with us.
PS i buy ricotta then forget why too!
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
June 24, 2013 at 00:49Haha, I totally hear you about putting stuff in the freezer for a few weeks or months, and THEN throwing it away. That's my strategy as well, even though I generally hate throwing away food. But once it's languished in the freezer for awhile, I feel a lot less guilty 🙂
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
June 23, 2013 at 23:14Happy Birthday, Paula! (a few days late) – BTW you are NEVER too old for a pajama party. 🙂 These ricotta berry squares look like they have a wonderful texture + I had fun clicking through all of the past recipes that you mentioned. So many I want to make! (especially those boozy brownies)
bananachocolate says
June 23, 2013 at 19:58Happy birthday Paula, and thank you for sharing my recipe!
yummychunklet says
June 23, 2013 at 02:32Delicious! Happy Birthday!
Patty Price says
June 22, 2013 at 15:47Happy Birthday!! I think these summer berry ricotta squares look like a prefect way to celebrate-enjoy your special birthday week 😉
thelittleloaf says
June 22, 2013 at 07:57Happy birthday! And how juicy and delicious do these little squares look?
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
June 21, 2013 at 18:09Paula, one is NEVER too old for a pyjama party! And haven't you heard, 45 is the new 30 😉 It sounds like you had an utterly fabulous day, which you absolutely deserve. You've gone through a lot this past year and I mean it when I say that I'm hoping your 45th year brings you only bigger and better things. You're one of the sweetest, toughest ladies I know and I'm honoured to call you a friend. One day we'll meet and we'll drink, and laugh, and talk, and eat, and drink some more! Until then, I'll bake these delicious ricotta squares and eat it in your honour.
wp_vknotes_admin says
June 22, 2013 at 11:07Thank you girl! SO looking forward to the day we meet!
Pink Patisserie says
June 21, 2013 at 15:39Happy Belated birthday to you Paula! Hope it was a lovely, lovely day. Sounds like it was shaping up to be! Thank you for all of your delicious recipes and sweet thoughts!
Cocoa and Lavender says
June 21, 2013 at 13:42¡Feliz cumpleaños, mi amiga! What a wonderful way to celebrate with close friends. If I had ricotta in my fridge, I would have been baking these instead of the summer berry cake that is in the oven now… I wish you a year of good fortune, happiness, culinary adventure and the love of good friends and family… ~ David
wp_vknotes_admin says
June 22, 2013 at 11:06Thanks David! And you could make both recipes y´know…
Cocoa and Lavender says
June 22, 2013 at 14:39You are right! Why make it an 'either/or' situation!
Kathy says
June 21, 2013 at 13:35Happy Birthday, Paula! I adore Ricotta and know I would love these squares! Every time I visit you, I find something else I have to make! These just sounds incredible! A perfect summer dessert! Have a great weekend!
Munatycooking says
June 21, 2013 at 12:56Happy Birthday Girl! I love the taste of fruits in desserts, and these squares look amazing and colorful 🙂