Baked ricotta with cherry tomatoes, chilli and sesame

Name: Baked ricotta with cherry tomatoes, chilli and sesame
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean recipes
Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to grease; 500g ricotta; 2 medium free-range eggs; 60g parmesan (or veggie equivalent), finely grated, plus extra to serve; 2 large pinches dried oregano; 400g cherry tomatoes, halved; Good bread or baguette to serve (optional); For the dressing; 2 tbsp sesame seeds; 1 cinnamon stick, snapped in half; 1 star anise; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 shallot, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1-2 tsp chipotle flakes; 2 large tomatoes, coarsely grated

Portion size: Serves 4
Hands-on time 15 min. Oven time 30 min
Difficulty: easy

Gluten-free

Vegetarian

Recipe by: Claire Thomson

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Looking for an effortless summer supper recipe? Try this golden cloud of baked ricotta from food writer Claire Thomson, topped with a sweet-sharp chilli tomato dressing.

Claire says “This dish might sound fancy but is in fact incredibly easy to assemble. The dressing – sharp, sweet and glossy – is a delicious foil for the baked ricotta, which becomes a gentle cloud of seasoned cheese. Serve with good bread or toast to mop.”

Recipe taken from The Veggie Family Cookbook by Claire Thomson (Quadrille £30) and tested by delicious.

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Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to grease
500g ricotta
2 medium free-range eggs
60g parmesan (or veggie equivalent), finely grated, plus extra to serve
2 large pinches dried oregano
400g cherry tomatoes, halved
Good bread or baguette to serve (optional)

For the dressing

2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 cinnamon stick, snapped in half
1 star anise
3 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-2 tsp chipotle flakes
2 large tomatoes, coarsely grated

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Method

First, make the dressing. Toast the sesame seeds, cinnamon and star anise in a small frying pan over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan every now and then, until the seeds are golden brown. Add the olive oil and heat for 1 minute. Add the shallot and garlic, then fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the chipotle flakes and grated tomato, heat through, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat the oven to 170°C fan/gas 5 and brush the inside of an oven dish with olive oil. Mix the ricotta with the eggs, parmesan and half the oregano, then season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the oven dish and bake for 30 minutes until puffed in the middle and browning.
Meanwhile, mix the cherry tomatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil and the remaining oregano. Season, then tip the tomatoes into a snug-fitting oven dish and roast for about 30 minutes or until golden, juicy and bubbling.
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Serve the ricotta topped with the roasted tomatoes and sprinkled with the chilli dressing. If you like, serve with bread on the side to mop up the juices.