Herbed Ricotta Pestos
It's a meat-free day today at my house. Anything you can spread over grilled and/or toasted bread is delicious. This post highlights my Herbed Ricotta with Pesto.
Equipment
- 1 food processor 10-cup
- 1 mini food processor
- 2 rimmed baking sheet pans
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
- 3 mixing bowls 3
- 1 indoor grill pan
- 1 juicer Hand-held
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Herbed Ricotta:
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese Whole milk
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 tbsps lemon juice Freshly-squeezed
- 1 clove garlic Finely-grated
- 1/4 cup *E.V.O.O.
- 2 tbsps chives Finely minced
- 2 tbsps Italian flat-leaf parsley Finely chopped
- 1 tbsp mint Finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves finely chopped
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly-ground
Ingredients for the Pea, Pecorino, And Pistachio Pesto:
- 1 15-ounce bag frozen peas Thawed
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- 1 clove garlic Peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese Freshly-grated
- 2 tbsps lemon juice Freshly-squeezed
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp mint leaves Roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup *E.V.O.O.
Ingredients for the Roasted Piquillo Pepper Pesto:
- 1 12-ounce jar roasted Piquillo peppers Drained (substitute roasted red peppers)
- 1/4 cup Cannellini beans Drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Freshly-grated
- 1 clove garlic Peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 tbsps lemon juice Freshly-squeezed
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper Freshly-ground
- 1 tbsp basil leaves Roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup *E.V.O.O.
Ingredients for the Oven-Baked Ciabatta Bread:
- 1 loaf Ciabatta bread Sliced (substitute baguette)
- 2 tbsps kosher salt
- 2 tsps black pepper Freshly-ground
- A liberal drizzle of olive oil over the top slice of each piece of bread.
Instructions
- Instructions for the Oven-Baked Ciabatta Bread:Preheat oven to 375°F.Slice the Ciabatta bread at a 45-degree angle into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Liberally drizzle the top of each slice of Ciabatta lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Place into the oven on the center rack. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the bread is golden. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and let the toast cool slightly before adding the toppings.Instructions for Grilling the Ciabatta Bread:Preheat the indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the Ciabatta with olive oil. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Arrange the slices of bread on the grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side.Instructions for the Herbed Ricotta:In a food processor, purée the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, kosher salt, fresh-ground black pepper, and 1/4 cup of *E.V.O.O. until smooth. Scrape into a medium-size mixing bowl. Add in the fresh herbs, and stir to combine. Garnish with a sprig of Italian flat-leaf parsley.Instructions for the Pea, Pecorino, and Pistachio Pesto:Start processing the nuts ( Pistachios), garlic, and the herb (mint) first. You can see this in the pictures above. Once this has been processed, add in the main ingredients. In this case, the peas, fresh lemon juice, kosher salt, and fresh-ground black pepper.Next, through the feed tube, at the top, drizzle in the *E.V.O.O. slowly. This will allow you to control the pesto's consistency to adjust the amount accordingly.Finally, add the freshly grated cheese. The reason is that the cheese doesn't get too hot from the blade. Continuously processing can change the integrity of the cheese. Pulse the grated cheese until just combined.Instructions for the Roasted Piquillo Pepper Pesto:Start processing the nuts ( Pistachios), garlic, and the herb (basil) first. You can see this in the pictures above. Once this has been processed, add in the main ingredients. In this case, the roasted Piquillo peppers, Cannellini beans, fresh lemon juice, kosher salt, and fresh-ground black pepper.Next, through the feed tube, at the top, drizzle in the *E.V.O.O. slowly. This will allow you to control the pesto as it's processed, and adjust the amount accordingly.Finally, add the freshly grated cheese. The reason is that the cheese doesn't get too hot from the blade. Continuously processing can change the integrity of the cheese. Pulse the grated cheese until just combined.There you have it, my Herbed Ricotta Pesti.
Notes
1) The Kcal count is only for the Herbed Ricotta.
2) The correct plural form for Pesto is Pesti. We generally use the pesto for a variety of batches.
3) What is the difference between a pesto and a tapenade, you ask? While both are flavorful, herb-forward Mediterranean spreads, they are distinct. Pesto is a smooth, most often a vibrant-green blend of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and hard cheese. Tapenade is a chunky, briny spread made primarily from capers, olives, and olive oil, often with anchovies and lemon.
4) *E.V.O.O. is an acronym for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
5) This is the method I use when making pesto. I also want to mention that using Cannellini beans gives extra body to the pesto without changing the flavor.
6) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.