Baked Ricotta (ricotta al forno)

Grey round dish with baked ricotta topped with tomatoes, white linen underneath, olives in background.

This quick and easy appetizer can be mixed by hand or in the food processor. It's perfect for a brunch table, a charcuterie or cheese board, or as a light lunch if you make it as a crustless pie.

Course Appetizers

Cuisine International

Keyword baked ricotta

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 259kcal

Author Paula Montenegro

Ingredients

For the ricotta:

2 ½ cups fresh ricotta 1 pound + 2 ounces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter

For the topping:

1 cup cherry tomatoes
6 garlic cloves
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves loosely packed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil loosely packed
¼ cup all-purpose flour if making a crustless quiche

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C).

For the tomatoes:

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (you can omit it, but it's less messy) and place 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved and 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled.
Drizzle with 4 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until soft. If you use the tomatoes whole pierce them with a fork once or twice before baking so they don't explode in the oven.
Let the oven on.

For the baked ricotta:

By hand: in a large mixing bowl, mix 2 ½ cups fresh ricotta with 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 2 eggs, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, and ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. Mix well with a hand beater or wooden spoon. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil or melted butter.
In a food processor: put 2 ½ cups fresh ricotta in the bowl and process for a minute. Add 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 2 eggs, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon olive oil and process a few times just until well combined, about 30 seconds. Don't overprocess.
Transfer to an oiled or buttered 9-inch round baking dish, spread evenly, and bake for 30-35 minutes, until lightly brown on top.
Mound tomatoes and peeled chopped garlic cloves on top of the ricotta, and top with herbs.
Drizzle with olive oil, some salt, and pepper, and serve with crackers, pita chips, or very thin toasted bread slices.

For the crustless ricotta quiche:

Follow the instructions above, adding the flour at the end and mixing lightly. Don't beat.
Bake until mostly firm but still slightly jiggly in the middle.
Serve in wedges with tomatoes, garlic, and herbs.

Notes

Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use an oven thermometer to check that the temperature is right. I recommend keeping 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. But you can sometimes find ricotta with cream so you have it all in one place.

Storing baked ricotta: it lasts for a few days in the refrigerator, well covered in plastic wrap or 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.

Topping ideas:
Mediterranean veggies. Have ready 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.

Nutrition