Ricotta Pockets Recipes

Steps:

• Stir the yeast and sugar into 1 3/4 cups warm water (about 100 degrees F) in the measuring cup or a small bowl. Let sit until foamy, about 3 minutes.
• Combine the flour and kosher salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the yeast mixture and 1/4 cup of the olive oil and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together. Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough, adding more flour or water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed, until the dough forms a loose ball that just pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead on high speed until the dough is smooth and elastic but still a bit looser than traditional bread dough, about 5 minutes.
• Coat a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the dough and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Coat a rimmed baking sheet with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer the dough to the middle of the baking sheet. Gently stretch the dough all the way to edges of the baking sheet. If the dough springs back, let it rest for a few minutes and continue stretching. (Don't rush it; this process could take up to 10 to 15 minutes.)
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Use a pizza wheel to cut the dough lengthwise in half through the center, then make crosswise cuts to get 8 rectangles. Divide the pepperoni among the rectangles, placing it on the lower half of each rectangle and leaving a border around the edges. Dollop the ricotta on top of the pepperoni and spread with the back of a spoon, again leaving a border around the edges. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and pecorino, leaving the border free.
• Fold the top of each dough rectangle over the filling and press the edges to seal. Use a large spatula to help transfer the pockets to the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each pocket slightly with the palm of your hand. Trim the edges with a pizza wheel, if desired. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap from the pockets and use the tips of your fingers to gently dimple the dough all over. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with additional pecorino, the rosemary needles and flaky salt. Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until the pockets are golden brown on the tops and bottoms, about 20 minutes. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

Steps:

• Put the lasagne sheets in a large bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Leave to soak for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6 and lightly oil a shallow baking tray.
• Drain the lasagne sheets in a colander. Take one sheet and put a large spoonful of ricotta in the centre. Scatter over a few rocket leaves, season well, then fold the sheet in half. Press the edges together to form a pocket. Continue to fill all the pasta sheets, then lay them on the baking tray so they overlap slightly.
• Tip the sauce over the pasta pockets, spreading to make sure they are completely covered. Sprinkle over the cheese and bake for 10-12 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve with a crisp green salad.

Steps:

• Roll out refrigerated pizza dough to 1/4-inch thick; cut into 3-inch rounds. Top with ricotta, diced apple, and a pinch of cinnamon sugar. Brush the edges with beaten egg, fold in half and press to seal. Brush with egg and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Poke a hole in each; bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Steps:

• Fill a Dutch oven about halfway with veggie oil and heat to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with paper towels and set aside.
• Roll the pizza dough to about 1/4-inch thick on a floured work surface. Cut out as many 4-inch rounds as you can. Reroll the dough, if needed, to get 6 rounds total.
• Combine the ricotta, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a small bowl. Stir in the basil.
• Dollop a scant tablespoon of filling in the center of each dough round and place a blackberry on top. Dab a little water around the edge of each dough round. Fold over to make half-moons and pinch well with your fingers to seal.
• Add the pockets to the hot oil in batches and fry until golden and puffed, about 3 minutes. Remove to the lined sheet pan. Sprinkle on confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200°C.
• Grease a shallow baking tray. Soak lasagna sheets in boiling water for 5 minutes.
• Drain pasta; take one sheet and put a spoonful of ricotta in the centre. Add a few rocket leaves, season and fold in half to make a pocket pressing the edges together.
• Fill the rest of the sheets and place in the tray, overlapping slightly.
• Pour over sauce and top with cheese, bake for 10 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Steps:

• 1 Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and stir until it is absorbed. Gradually stir in the eggs and Marsala to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out on a countertop and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. The dough should be stiff. If it is too dry, work in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes up to overnight. 2 Pass the ricotta through a fine-mesh strainer or blend it in a food processor until smooth. Stir in the sugar, chocolate, and lemon zest. 3 Cut the dough into quarters. Keep the remaining pieces covered with an inverted bowl while you work. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece into a 12 × 12-inch square. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Tightly roll up the dough into a 12-inch rope. Cut the rope crosswise into 12 pieces. Place the pieces on a plate. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the remaining dough in the same way. You should have 48 pieces of dough. 4 Have ready a small bowl of cold water. Dip both cut sides of one piece of dough lightly in flour. Roll out the piece into a 5- to 6-inch circle. Place about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta filling to one side of the circle. Dip a finger in the water and lightly moisten the edge. Fold in half and seal by pressing the edge firmly with your fingertips. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. 5 In a deep heavy saucepan, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 2 inches, or if using an electric deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer's directions. Heat the oil to 370°F on a frying thermometer, or until a drop of the batter placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute. 6 Add as much of the dough pieces to the pan as will fit without crowding. Cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. 7 Remove the pastries with a slotted spoon or skimmer and drain on paper towels. Fry the remainder in the same way. 8 While still warm, roll the turnovers in granulated sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.