When having people over for drinks and / or dinner, you want to have some nibbles out for them when they arrive, right? I think every host has their favorite hors d'oeuvres to prepare -- dishes they love to snack on or items specifically catered to their guests. My go-to's tend to be homemade hummus or white bean dip, homemade flatbread pizzas, roasted almonds, and cheeses with bread or crackers. Tonight, I thought I'd do my traditional homemade hummus with crudites but also I'd prepare a ricotta dip with crusty grilled whole wheat baguette and grilled asparagus. I think that a lot of people do not utilize ricotta to its fullest and put it into the lasagna filling category. Let me tell you a simple fresh ricotta dip with some basil oil, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh rosemary just melts in your mouth. Super lactic and creamy with that nice milky tang, on a piece of crusty nutty bread, you cannot go wrong! This sort of cheese dip is light and airy, not too heavy like say a fondue, but perfect with a nice glass of white wine or bubbly before a meal. Simplicity allows for one's appetite to be wet but not for your taste buds to be overwhelmed so that you cannot taste the main dishes.
So next time you are thinking of what to make for friends coming over, why not go the simple ricotta route, I guarantee everyone will enjoy it!
Yes, it is key that you buy nice fresh homemade ricotta, not the Polly-O version. However buying a 1/2 lb of ricotta is cheaper than say buying a variety of cheeses for a cheese plate.
No comments:
Post a Comment