Whipped Ricotta Recipe

Drain ricotta (if needed)

If your ricotta is very wet, place it in a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towel over a bowl and let drain for 20–30 minutes to remove excess whey so the whipped texture will be light and stable.

Combine and whip

Place the drained ricotta, heavy cream, olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt in the bowl of a food processor or a large bowl if using an electric mixer. Pulse/beat until smooth and airy, about 45–90 seconds in a food processor or 1–2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium-high. Scrape down the sides once and continue until mixture is creamy and spreadable but still holds some structure.

Adjust seasoning

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional sea salt or up to 1/2 teaspoon more lemon juice if you want a brighter flavor. Add freshly ground black pepper and pulse/briefly whisk to incorporate.

Transfer whipped ricotta to a shallow serving bowl and smooth the top with the back of a spoon, creating a few shallow wells to catch honey later. Keep at room temperature for up to 1 hour or refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving (about 20 minutes).

Prepare slices

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Brush and bake

Brush each slice lightly with olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with a light pinch of salt. Bake until golden and crisp, about 8–12 minutes, flipping halfway through so they brown evenly.

Optional garlic rub

If using garlic, rub the cut side of the halved garlic clove over the still-warm crostini for a hint of garlic before they cool completely.

Spoon or spread a generous mound of whipped ricotta onto the center of the serving plate or individual plates, leaving room for crostini around the edges.

Drizzle the ricotta with honey in an even stream, using about 1 teaspoon per portion (total ~2–3 tablespoons across the platter).

Sprinkle fennel pollen evenly over the honeyed ricotta, concentrating a little in the wells so the pollen adheres. If using fennel fronds, scatter them lightly over the top for color and fresh anise note.

Grate a small amount of fresh lemon zest over the ricotta for brightness, then finish with a light scattering of flaky sea salt and a final turn of fresh black pepper if desired.

Arrange crostini around the ricotta and serve immediately so crostini remain crisp. Leftover ricotta can be refrigerated up to 3 days; bring to room temperature and stir before serving.