Smoky Ricotta Fritters

Name: Smoky Ricotta Fritters
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 6 servings All purpose flour; 3 larges eggs; 118 milliliters coarsely grated smoked mozzarella cheese; 6 servings Olive oil (for frying); 237 milliliters (or more) finely grated Parmesan cheese; 177 milliliters finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese; 425 grams ricotta cheese, preferably organic

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Smoky Ricott A mixture of parmesan cheese, eggs, ricotta cheese, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so yummy. To use up the olive oil you could follow this main course with the Sauteed Banana, Granolan and Yogurt Parfait as a dessert. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 45 minutes.

Instructions

Place sieve over medium bowl; line sievewith double layer of cheesecloth, leavinglong overhang.

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Cheesecloth

Sieve

Bowl

Place ricotta cheese inprepared sieve and wrap cheeseclotharound ricotta, squeezing gently to releasesome of liquid from ricotta. Cover andrefrigerate until ricotta has released most ofits liquid and cheese is dry enough to forminto balls, at least 24 hours and up to 2 days.Discard drained liquid.

Ingredients you will need

Ricotta Cheese

Cheese

Wrap

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Sieve

Line baking sheet with plastic wrapor parchment paper.

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Baking Paper

Baking Sheet

Place drained ricottacheese in another medium bowl.

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Bowl

MixPecorino Romano cheese and smokedmozzarella into ricotta. Season to taste withsalt and pepper.

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Romano Cheese

Ricotta Cheese

Pepper

Add 1 egg; stir to blend.

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Egg

Place flour in small bowl.

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All Purpose Flour

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Bowl

Whisk remaining2 eggs in another small bowl to blend.

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Egg

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Whisk

Bowl

Place Parmesan in another small bowl.Form ricotta mixture into walnut-size balls(about 1 packed tablespoonful for each).Working with 1 cheese ball at a time, dipinto beaten egg, then roll in flour, then coatwith beaten egg again.

Ingredients you will need

Parmesan

Ricotta Cheese

Cheese

Walnuts

All Purpose Flour

Roll

Egg

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Bowl

Roll cheese ballin Parmesan cheese, coating completely.

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Parmesan

Cheese

Roll

Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeatwith remaining cheese balls. Chill at least 1hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead.Cover and keep chilled.

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Cheese

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Baking Sheet

Pour enough olive oil into large skilletto reach depth of 1 1/2 inches. Lean deep-frythermometer against side of skillet withbulb submerged in oil; heat oil to 360°F.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Cooking Oil

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Frying Pan

Working in batches, lower a few cheeseballs at a time into hot oil and fry untilgolden, turning occasionally, 30 secondsto 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transferfritters to paper towels to drain. Divideamong plates and serve hot.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Slotted Spoon

Paper Towels

If you can find it, buy abrand of ricotta cheese that has a strainerbuilt into the container, which eliminatesthe need for draining. Look for smokedmozzarella at some supermarkets and atspecialty foods stores.

Ingredients you will need

Ricotta Cheese

With both appetizers, pouran Italian Chardonnay. Donatella likes the tropicalfruity notes of the 2008 Tormaresca Chardonnayfrom Puglia (Italy, $12). If you can't find that bottle,try the biodynamic 2008 Alois Lageder "Beta Delta"Chardonnay-Pinot Grigio (Italy, $22). Its blend ofaromatic fruit and bright acidity would be deliciouswith the ricotta fritters and the bread with burrata.

Ingredients you will need

Chardonnay