Kristen Allan's homemade baked ricotta

Baked ricotta with fennel, orange & rosemary infused honey.

Recipe by Kristen Allan

Ingredients

Honey:

150ml/5 fluid ounces local raw honey (we recommend @honey_fingers)
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 small sprig of rosemary
1 large piece of orange peel

Baked ricotta:

1kg/2.2 pounds ricotta
olive oil
salt & pepper

Method

Honey:

If you can, infuse the honey a few days ahead of serving to allow the flavour of the fennel & orange to really shine.

Place all your ingredients into a small saucepan. Gently bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Let sit, until the honey cools to room temperature, and pour into a small jug or jar, allowing all the flavours to infuse.

Baked ricotta:

Place your ricotta in a colander or sieve lined with muslin (cheesecloth) and set over a bowl. Cover and leave in fridge to drain and dry out for 3 days.

Preheat your oven to 220˚C/430˚F.

Gently turn the ricotta out onto your favourite Mud platter. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, rubbing the ricotta all over and making sure it is totally covered with oil.

Bake the ricotta for 15 minutes or until it has turned a lovely golden colour.