While my Irish half typically dominates my starch choices for meals (potatoes are preferential to pasta) my Italian half definitely gave me my love of cheese. We never have fewer than a dozen different cheeses in the fridge. (Always: goat cheese, Parmesan, provolone, Vermont cheddar, mozzarella, bleu cheese & feta. Does cream cheese count? Additionally right now: Gruyere, manchego, horseradish cheddar, fontinella, colby & ricotta cheese.) Of these, my favorite would have to be the ricotta for its versatility. We use it in main dishes & desserts. I always buy more of it than I need so I can eat it with some fresh fruit for breakfast. I have to admit, I often eat ricotta by the spoonful right out of the container when I’m going into the fridge for something else.
I like ricotta best in cannolis. Next to dark chocolate, cannolis are my favorite dessert. If they are on the dessert menu at a restaurant, I am ordering it. I always check the dessert menu first then make my dinner decision based on if I can get a cannoli or not. But they’re not all that easy to make at home unless you can buy the shells premade. We’re out of luck on that count around here. We haven’t found a good source for the premade shells. My solution: a recipe I found long ago for cannoli pizza which uses a version of a chocolate chip cookie dough as the basis for the pizza with sweetened ricotta as the topping. Andrew requested a cannoli pizza for dessert while he is home between semesters for this month and I was more than happy to oblige!
Cannoli Pizza
Crust:
- 1 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 7 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 egg yolk
Topping:
- 24 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange liqueur like Cointreau or Grand Marnier
- 1 cup chopped pistachios
Crust: Cream together the butter and the sugar. Add in the egg and the yolk then add the flour, mixing well. Add in the chopped chocolate, until it is well combined. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Incorporate the finely chopped chocolate into the dough.
Oil a 12-14 inch pizza pan. Spread the dough on the prepared pan, forming a rim along the edges. Bake the dough in a preheated 350° oven for 15 minutes, until the dough is no longer shiny. Cool the crust completely.
Spread the dough onto an oiled pizza pan.
Mix together the ricotta, sugar, vanilla and liqueur. Spread the filling over the cooled crust.
The crust should be completely cooled before spreading the filling on it.
Refrigerate the pizza for at least an hour before serving. Sprinkle the pistachios over the pizza just before serving. Cut the dessert into pizza-shaped wedges to serve.
A wonderful Italian dessert!
Having Andrew home for the month is reason to celebrate! ~Linda
Cannoli Pizza
Crust:
- 1 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 7 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 egg yolk
Topping:
- 24 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange liqueur like Grand Marnier
- 1 cup chopped pistachios
Crust: Cream together the butter and the sugar. Add in the egg and the yolk then add the flour, mixing well. Add in the chopped chocolate, until it is well combined. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. Oil a 12-14 inch pizza pan. Spread the dough on the prepared pan, forming a rim along the edges. Bake the dough in a preheated 350° oven for 15 minutes, until the dough is no longer shiny. Cool the crust completely.
Mix together the ricotta, sugar, vanilla and liqueur. Spread the filling over the cooled crust. Refrigerate the pizza for at least an hour before serving. Sprinkle the pistachios over the pizza just before serving. Cut the dessert into pizza-shaped wedges to serve.