I have had quite a run of working nonstop. Last weekend I finally had a chance to look at what has been in my refrigerator. You know: The stuff you realize must be used NOW, or never.
I had two pounds of whole milk ricotta, originally intended for some sort of lasagna.
(Ha.)
John and I pulled it out. It wasn't beyond the sell by date by much.
We opened it, inspected it, tasted it, and googled it.
No reason not to use it!
I totally re-worked an old recipe for ricotta squares. Two cups of wheat flour plus a cup of chopped nuts? No way - just two cups of almond meal. Two-thirds of a cup of margarine? Forget it....1/2 cup of real butter! A few more adjustments beyond that, and my first recipe didn't look much like the one I created. Better yet? It was gluten free.
The look on my family's faces told me I was right on. Very blog-worthy.
Gluten Free Ricotta Squares
(Serves 12-16)
Preheat the oven to 350.
Put 2 cups of almond meal/flour into a bowl.
Add 1/2 cup of brown sugar
and 1/2 cup of butter (softened).
Use a pastry blender to make little dinky morsels of butter
mixed in with the dry ingredients.
Press ~3/4 of this mixture into the bottom of a 9 X 13 glass baking dish.
Put it in your preheated oven for 10 min, then let it sit for 5 min.
(Leave the oven on!)
Meanwhile, in another bowl,
mix 2 pounds of whole milk ricotta,
four eggs,
a cup of sugar,
about a teaspoon of lemon extract,
about a teaspoon of grated lemon peel, and
about a teaspoon of vanilla.
(Seriously, I didn't measure the flavorings, I just guesstimated!)
Pour this mixture over the pre-baked (and partially cooled) crust.
Sprinkle the remaining crust mixture over the top of the ricotta stuff.
Pop it all in the oven again.
Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the ricotta comes out clean.
Let it cool pretty much, then refrigerate.
Cut into squares.
Top each serving with a little whipped cream.
Observe the faces as your family bites into this!
Now: Aren't you glad you check my blog?
