Cherry Plum Cobbler with Ricotta Cream

Part of eating healthy is of course eating seasonal, ripe, fresh, and local. If you want fruit in Sicily at a decent price, actually at ridiculously low prices, eat seasonal, fresh, ripe, and local. For example, the cherries and plums I bought for this were either free or $1.35 per kilo (2.2 lbs)!  The cherries are from Etnas 10,000 feet of mountain. So so good. 

So anyway, I'm teaching them a little about southern cooking. They LOVE cobbler. I don't get why their cuisine doesn't have this, but it doesn't. Lots of crostatas, which can be dry, and dry isn't nice in summer like cobbler with ice cream, now is it! 

I made two of these, in two 9" cake pans. One for each of my sisters in law. One upstairs and one down. They were a huge hit, as I adapted them a bit to their taste. My family here doesn't like vanilla ice cream. Yes it's weird. And I about died when they put chocolate ice cream on my peach cobbler, since they don't like vanilla. Ugh. So I adapted. You'll love it. You can do this in a 13x9 pan as well for a larger or hungrier group. Just don't divide anything!

Cherry Plum Cobbler with Ricotta Cream

1/2 c butter, divided 

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

Pinch salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg beaten

1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract 

1/4 c strawberry or other jam

1/3 c sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

Two cups pitted fresh cherries

Two cups sliced plums. I used the slightly mushy yellow ones and it came out gorgeous and yummy. 

1 c ricotta cheese, the wetter the better

3-4 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2-3 tbsp milk

Lemon zest optional. 

Mix the cherries and plum pieces in a bowl. Add 1/3 c sugar and 2 tsp cornstarch and mix. Add the jam and mix. Set aside 30 min to macerate and make all those wonderful juices. Add lemon zest if desired. 

When time is up, heat oven to 350. 

Put 1/4 c butter in each pan and place in oven as it heats. Meanwhile, mix dry ingredients for the cobbler in a bowl, then add the milk, extract and egg, and mix. Set aside. 

Your butter should be just melted. Take the pans out when it's melted and pour half of the batter in each pan on top of the butter. Yum. 

Now spoon the fruit evenly over the top of the batter. DON'T STIR PLEASE. The batter will rise up and make a pretty and tasty treat. Lastly spoon the juices over the two pans. 

Place in oven and bake 50-60 min, rotating the pans halfway through to bake evenly. They're done when the edges pull away from the sides. 

To serve, mix the ricotta, sugar and vanilla in a bowl well. Get the lumps out. You can even whisk it. Then add a bit of milk and stir in till the consistency of homemade whipped cream. Kind of plops when you dollop it. 

Serve each wedge with a dollop of ricotta cream. It's as good cooled as warm. This would be great with ice cream, but as I said, it would have to be vanilla. Can't get the Sicilians to eat vanilla ice cream, but put ricotta in and everyone is on board!  Buon appetito!

Spinach ricotta linguini

Yummy and not too heavy. Didn't take too long either.

Don't like ricotta?  It's because you've never had fresh, warm ricotta, just out of the pot, smeared on some warm bread with a pinch of salt.  It's conversion day.  You, yes you, can make your own ricotta.  

Put 2 qts whole milk in a saucepan on med and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile put pasta water on to boil, yes with salt.


Saute about 6 chopped garlic cloves in 3 tbsp butter. When golden add a pound of thawed and squeezed chopped spinach. When it's absorbed the garlic add a tsp salt and another 3 tbsp butter and cook a few min. Set aside.

When milk gets to a simmer add and stir in immediately either 3/4 c whey, or 3 tbsp lemon juice.  Remove the milk from heat and just let the cheese form for 20 min.

When you see the cheese form it'll look like loose cottage cheese. Skim it off with a slotted spoon or that big flat round ladle with holes in it, and drain in a fine colander or cloth. 

Put pasta in the boiling salted water, (1 lb linguini). When cooked remove, add spinach and a drizzle of oil and toss. Add the cheese to the pasta.

Salt and pepper to taste.  Buon Appetito!

Ingredients:
2 qts whole milk
6 cloves garlic
Butter of course
3/4 c whey or 3 tbsp lemon juice
1 lb linguine
Gadgets: Pasta pot, skillet, knife and chopping board, slotted spoon, a fine strainer or cheesecloth.