Baked local ricotta with tomato and chilli salsa

Baked local ricotta with tomato and chilli salsa

Ingredients

• 1kg firm, local ricotta
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 lemons, zest only
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Tomato and chilli salsa

• 2 ripe tomatoes, scored
• 1 long red chilli, coarsely chopped
• 75 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 1½ cups flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup coriander, coarsely chopped
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 75ml light olive oil
• 1½ lemon, juice only
• 1 garlic clove, crushed

To serve

• Maltese Bread, thickly sliced

Method

1. Preheat oven to 230°C.
2. Mix the ricotta with the chilli flakes, oregano and lemon zest.
3. Place in an ovenproof dish.
4. Bake until the oil begins to bubble, approx. 10 mins.
5. To make the chilli salsa, blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 20-40 seconds.
6. Peel and remove the seeds and place in a bowl.
7. Pound chilli to a paste with a pestle and mortar until smooth.
8. Stir in 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and add to tomato.
9. Add remaining ingredients and season to taste.
10. Spoon the salsa onto the baked ricotta and serve with toasted Maltese bread.

This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 23 October, 2015.