Baba ganoush with cumin crispbreads
Serve this baba ganoush with cumin crispbreads as a mezze starter with hummus, olives, lamb kofte or falafel. You can keep with crispbreads in an airtight container for up to three days
Whipped ricotta with dukkah and fried herbs
Serves 6 as part of a mezze spread
Easy
Prep:
Cook:
Find out how herbs can boost the flavour, texture and visual impact of a dish. Here, Alexina pairs them with whipped ricotta and dukkah oil
Skip to ingredients
For the whipped ricotta
- 500g ricotta
- 1 lemonzested
- couple of pinches flaky sea salt
- freshly ground black pepperto taste
For the dukkah oil
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tbsp dukkah (shop-bought or homemade)
For the fried herbs
- sage leaves
- rosemary needles
- basil leaves
- neutral oil
- sourdoughto serve
Method
step 1
Add the ricotta to a bowl and vigorously stir with a spatula until smooth and whipped up.
step 2
Meanwhile, add the dukkah to a heatproof bowl. Heat the olive oil until shimmering, then pour over the dukkah (it should sizzle!) and set aside.
step 3
In a large, deep-sided frying pan, add around an inch of neutral oil and gently heat it up. Test the temperature is right by adding a rosemary needle to the oil – it should sizzle. Set up a plate lined with kitchen roll to the side of the stove.
step 4
Fry the herbs in batches but – very important! – be sure to step back quickly when you add the herbs to the oil, as they do tend to spit on first contact. Fry for 15 to 30 seconds (the longer you fry them, the less green they’ll stay), then transfer to the lined plate using a slotted spoon.
step 5
To serve, artfully spread the ricotta over a serving plate, drizzle over the dukkah oil then garnish with the fried herbs. Serve with slices of sourdough.
