Whipped Housemade Ricotta Recipe

Drain and combine

If ricotta is very wet, place it in a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth over a bowl and drain in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or press lightly with the back of a spoon). Transfer drained ricotta to a food processor or blender. Add the softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Whip until silky

Process or blend until completely smooth and airy, about 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl once. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Transfer whipped ricotta to a shallow serving dish and smooth the top with a spatula, leaving room for toppings.

Finely chop parsley, slice chives, and strip thyme leaves. Gently fold the herbs into the whipped ricotta or scatter them over the top for a brighter appearance. Reserve a small pinch of herbs for final garnish.

Slice and prepare oil

Thinly slice garlic cloves so pieces are uniform (about 1–2 mm). In a small, heavy-bottomed skillet, warm 1/2 cup neutral oil over medium-low heat. The oil should be warm but not smoking.

Fry until golden

Add the sliced garlic in a single layer and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the slices turn a light golden brown and become crisp, about 3–5 minutes. Reduce heat if browning too quickly to avoid bitterness.

Drain and season

Using a slotted spoon, remove garlic to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt while still hot. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the garlic-flavored oil to drizzle over the ricotta; discard or reserve the remaining oil for another use once cooled.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons runny honey in a ribbon over the top of the whipped ricotta. Drizzle the reserved 1 tablespoon garlic oil and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil around or over the ricotta for shine and flavor. Scatter the reserved fresh herbs and the fried garlic chips evenly across the surface. Finish with a light sprinkling of flaky sea salt and an optional dusting of the remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest.

Preheat and oil

Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C). Brush both sides of each bread slice lightly with olive oil.

Grill until charred

Grill the bread slices in batches, 1–2 minutes per side, until you have attractive grill marks and the bread is warm and crisp at the edges. Alternatively, toast under a broiler or in a skillet.

Serve immediately alongside the whipped ricotta so guests can spoon ricotta onto warm grilled bread. Provide extra honey and cracked pepper at the table if desired.