Whipped Lemon Ricotta with Snap Pea Salad
Whipped Lemon Ricotta with Snap Pea Salad
- Snap Pea Salad:
- 8 ounces sugar snap peas
- 2/3 cup ricotta, homemade or store bought
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more for serving
- ½ small garlic clove, finely grated
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 cup finely chopped mixed chives, parsley, mint, and/or tarragon
- ½ cup pea shoots or other greens
- everything bagel seasoning, for serving (optional)
- Homemade Ricotta: Optional
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 fresh lemons, juiced
Snap Pea Salad:
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add peas, and cook just until bright green, about 1-2 minutes (leaving them crunchy). Immediately transfer peas to a bowl of ice water; let stand 5 minutes. Drain well.
In a food processor, whip the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, and ¼ cup of olive oil until smooth. Spread ricotta mixture on a platter.
Slice open the peas and combine them with greens and herbs of choice. Top over the ricotta. Finish with a little extra fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and bagel seasoning (if using). Enjhoy!
Homemade Fresh Ricotta:
Line a strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth and place a strainer over a large bowl.
Cut lemons in half and squeeze juice in a small bowl; strain pulp and seeds. Set aside until ready to use.
Combine milk, cream, and salt in a 4- to 5-quart pot; heat mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching until you have a gentle boil (190º - 195ºF.). Milk should be steamy with foam at the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat; pour in lemon juice. Softly stir, once or twice, and let the milk sit undisturbed for 10 minutes (this step is very important, the milk, cream and lemon juice need to coagulate).
Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined strainer. Allow curds to drain 20-30 minutes, carefully twist the cheesecloth to remove excess liquid. The longer your mixture drains, the thicker the ricotta will get! Once you are done straining, transfer the cheese to a container and discard the cheesecloth. Ricotta will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
