Whipped Ricotta With Olives, Roasted Peppers and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

When it comes to effortless entertaining, few appetizers strike the balance between rustic charm and elegant flavor like this Whipped Ricotta With Olives, Roasted Peppers and Sun-Dried Tomatoes. Creamy ricotta forms the perfect base for a colorful topping of salty olives, smoky-sweet roasted peppers and intensely flavorful sun-dried tomatoes. It’s a dish that feels both Mediterranean and modern, an easy appetizer that comes together quickly but looks (and tastes) like you spent hours preparing it. Serve it with warm crusty bread or crisp crostini, and watch it disappear before the main course even hits the table.

Prepping the Ingredients

Once the ingredients are prepped, this appetizer comes together quickly. Start by cutting the olives in half, using a Mini Cheese Knife.

With a 4″ Vegetable Knife, roughly chop the roasted red peppers.

Using a 5″ Petite Santoku, chop up the sun-dried tomatoes, taking care when handling the knife as the tomatoes will be oily. Using the same knife, dice up the shallots.

Use a 7-3/4″ Petite Slicer to cut up the bread.

Making the Appetizer

This recipe really makes use of all the ingredients. Begin by infusing the olive oil with the olives, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, thyme and rosemary. Place a small saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil and aforementioned ingredients. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook for around five minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the oil to sit for 30 minutes, letting the flavors marinate. It is key here to allow the oil to cool completely as it will be added to the ricotta mixture later.

Once the oil is cooled, strain the infused olive oil into a glass bowl or measuring cup. From the strainer, separate and reserve the olives, roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. Discard as much of the shallots and herbs as possible, but don’t worry if you have some remaining in the olive mixture.

Using either a food processor or blender, mix the ricotta, maple syrup and salt until smooth. With the food processor or blender still running, slowly add a quarter cup of the previously prepared infused oil and blend until thoroughly combined.

Scoop out the ricotta mixture into a serving bowl. Top the ricotta mixture with the reserved olives, roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. Drizzle a bit of the infused olive oil over the mixture and, if you want an additional kick, drizzle on some hot honey. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and serve with toasted bread slices or pita chips.

This Whipped Ricotta With Olives, Roasted Peppers and Sun-Dried Tomatoes is a flavorful and elegant appetizer that’s easy to make and perfect for entertaining. Creamy, sweet ricotta balances perfectly with the other ingredients and we guarantee, no leftovers (unless you make two batches).