Whipped Ricotta + Garlic Dip

Half Baked Harvest told me I should whip ricotta, so I whipped ricotta. & it was a game-changer! This Whipped Ricotta + Garlic Dip was built on wanting to have a side to go with Mushroom + Creamed Corn Cauli Bowls while also wanting to clear out the fridge. Really trying to keep that food waste down, ya know? I had like half a tub of ricotta leftover from a recent cake baking venture, and I wanted to put it to use before it went bad. I also got a glimpse of a frozen baguette Jordan made hidden in our freezer & I was sold - soft cheese on crusty bread in some capacity was going down. I was somewhat bruschetta inspired, and this is what we ended up with as our fun extra at the dinner table.

 
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This dip has my favorite thing - roasted garlic. A whole head of it in fact! Garlic that’s drizzled with olive oil and roasted for like 45 minutes until it’s brown, carmelized, and tender. & then just whipped with the cheese, and it blends so perfectly. That alone is worth eating on a piece of a good baguette, but blended into soft cheese - even better, When you whip it all together in the food processor, you end with a real garlicky + cheesy dip that’s super light + creamy, and we loved it.

The key to taking this next level - the topping. The fresh, juicy tomatoes right on top are heavenly (& creamy cheese + tomatoes are such a good combo), and caramelized shallots are just so good. The real kicker - a little salt + herb sprinkle. You get that salty bite + herby freshness with each dip, and it’s real tasty when all the components get wrapped up in one bite. Love love love! & definitely making again for a charcuterie board night.

For the dip

  • 1 head of garlic

  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced

  • 1 c. whole milk ricotta

  • 1/2-1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 1 tsp fresh parsley, minced

  • EVOO

  • salt & pepper

  • Crackers, toasted bread, or crudite (whatever you want to put the dip on)

Heat the oven to 400. Slice the top off of the head of garlic. Place in a ramekin & lightly drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 45-60 minutes. The garlic cloves should be browned and kind of exploding out of the garlic. Remove from the oven & let them cool.

Remove the garlic cloves (using a fork is the easiest), and place in a food processor with the ricotta. Add in a small pinch of salt & pepper. Puree until smooth. Spoon the mixture into a bowl or whatever you’re serving it on.

Place a skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add in the shallots, cooking for about 8-10 minutes stirring every minute or so. You want them to be browned & caramelized. Turn off the heat.

Spread the tomatoes on top of the ricotta (I tried to put them in a thin line). Top with the shallots & parsley, and finish with a light sprinkle of salt right on top of the topping. Nestle toasted bread or whatever else you’ll be dipping along the edge of the serving tray.



Lesley Zehner