Butternut Ricotta Tart With Fiery Rocket Salad Recipes

CREAMY RICOTTA TART WITH PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 3/4 cup of pine nuts, and salt until finely ground. Add the butter. Pulse dough just until it comes together.
• Place the dough into an 11-inch diameter tart pan with a removable bottom and press down to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Line the tart shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shell in the lower third of the oven until just set, about 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Bake until the tart shell is lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with the water in a small saucepan over low heat. You don't want to boil the water, you just want to heat it so that the sugar can dissolve thoroughly. Stir until the sugar dissolves and remove from heat.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the ricotta cheese and cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, and process until smooth. With the machine running, add the sugar syrup in a thin steady stream and process until smooth.
• Pour the custard into the tart shell and bake until the filling is almost set, about 20 to 25 minutes. Scatter the remaining 3/4 cup of toasted pine nuts atop the filling. Bake until the custard is set, about 10 minutes longer. Let the tart cool completely before serving.
• The tart can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Return the tart to room temperature before serving.

BERRY RICOTTA TARTLETS

Steps:

• For the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the honey and vanilla. With the machine running, gradually add the dry ingredients and blend until incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a work surface and knead into a dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Set aside.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch diameter circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles of the dough and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Gather any scraps of dough and gently knead together. Roll out until 1/4-inch thick. Cut out additional circles of dough and place on the baking sheet (there should be a total of 15 to 18 circles). Bake until slightly golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
• For the berries: In a medium bowl toss together the strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, lemon juice, and sugar. Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes.
• For the ricotta topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest.
• To assemble the tartlets: Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons of the ricotta topping in the center of each crust. Using a small spoon, make a shallow well in the ricotta topping and fill with a little of the berry mixture. Arrange on a platter and serve.

MUSHROOM, RICOTTA & ROCKET TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and place a baking sheet inside. Unroll the pastry onto a piece of baking parchment and score a border around the pastry about 1.5cm in from the edge. Place the pastry (still on the parchment) on the baking sheet and cook for 10-15 mins.
• While the pastry bakes, heat the oil in a large lidded pan and cook the mushrooms for 2-3 mins, with the lid on, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and add the sliced garlic, then cook for 1 min more to get rid of excess liquid.
• Mix the crushed garlic with the ricotta and nutmeg, then season well. Remove the pastry from the oven and carefully push down the risen centre. Spread over the ricotta mixture, then spoon on the mushrooms and garlic. Bake for 5 mins, then scatter over the parsley and rocket.