Turkish ricotta or “Lor” is sold in big, generous sacks – all the better to make big, generous “börek” fillings with. I did recieve a raised eyebrow when asking for a paltry 300g in the market and I think a sympathy smile for being a hapless “yabanci” (foreigner). But I had my prized unsalted, pristine ricotta and I was happy.
As in Italy lor comes in salted and unsalted versions. Salted lor is used in “börek” while the unsalted version is often served for breakfast with honey or fruit (particularly good with strawberries) or in a salad with fresh herbs and walnut. Here I use the unsalted (“tuzsuz”) version.
I followed a “Budino di ricotta” recipe of Artusi Pellegrino, the so called grandfather of Italian cuisine, merely decreasing the sugar by 25g, adding a smidge of cornflour plus “mahlep powder” as he suggests the addition of a few ground apricot kernels (the crushed stones of a wild cherry, a member of the rose family and much used in SE Turkey as a baking flavouring). One can only hope he does not turn in his grave at my speedy “all in one” method!
This is unfettered cooking but plain it is not and versatile it is. It is somewhere between a cheesecake and a batter pudding such as clafoutis. A small slice with a cup of tea is perfect in the afternoon, with a fruit couli poured over it becomes an elegant dessert and with an expresso in the morning it is a convenient breakfast bite.
Continue reading “Budino di Ricotta (“Lor ve bademli kek”)”