Favorite Breakfast Ingredient: Ricotta

While ricotta is perhaps most famous as a lasagna filling, it really shines at breakfast where its creamy texture and not too tangy flavor are a perfect match with many breakfast classics. My favorite way to eat it is to slather it on toast made with a rustic bread and drizzled with a few threads of bitter Sicilian honey. Add some fresh or dried fruit and a few almonds and you have a perfect way to start the day. Read on for a few more ways to use ricotta as an essential breakfast ingredient.

The most important thing is to choose a good quality ricotta. To my palate, there is a world of difference between commercial brands and the ones made in smaller batches. Like with

sour cream

If this isn’t possible, then try making you own! It’s really easy and a lot of fun, too. (That’s a shot of my first attempt, above, using this recipe from The Kitchn.) This is also a great project to do with your kids.

Once you have some of this magical fluffy stuff in your refrigerator, making a delicious and healthy breakfast is easy. Ricotta is great paired with your favorite granola or served with fresh fruit, or dried fruit, too. And the aforementioned ricotta on toast is a classic in my household. Here are a few other ways we’ve found in The Kitchn to use ricotta for breakfast:

• Breakfast Pizza
• Ricotta, Fig, and Honey Tartine
• Fluffy Ricotta Pancakes
• Pancetta and Cinnamon Ricotta Casserole
•

Ricotta with Honey and Fruit

Related: Dinner for Breakfast: Monika’s Orange Ricotta Dumplings

(Images: Dana Velden)