Hot Ricotta Dip

Not cooking much in a busy week makes us feel really off. There's just a real lack of joy or calm or relaxation in that scenario. So as a corrective, we set up the record player, bought some ricotta and French bread, and decided to stay home and get around to whisking, picking herbs, deglazing pans, and making up something brand new.

We've never made this particular appetizer before and never even eaten it before (really!), but we had to try it because, well, what a way to dress up a plain old tub of ricotta, right? This is already a 'thing,' there are recipes everywhere, but it's hard to get it to have some good solid flavor. We added herbs and pepper, garlic and onions, lemon and parmesan to ours...basically everything we could think of within arm's reach in the kitchen.

Hot Ricotta Dip

2 tablespoons olive oil (like Whole Foods 365 brand)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
sea salt and cracked black pepper (to taste)
1 15-ounce container of whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 egg (beaten)
zest of 1 organic lemon
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (minced)
5 sprigs fresh thyme (stems removed)
toasted french bread rounds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium skillet over medium-hight heat, bring one tablespoon of oil up to temperature and sauté the garlic and onion until it is just beginning to brown. Add the red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Deglaze the pan using the wine and reduce until thick and syrupy. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine the ricotta, parmesan, egg, zest, rosemary, thyme, and the sautéd onion mixture. Grease a 9 x 5 baking dish using the remaining olive oil. Pour ricotta mixture in and smooth the top using a rubber spatula. Bake for 30 minutes. You may brown the top under the broiler if desired. Serve with toast.