Whipped ricotta with chive

When I was younger I would help my mom make lasagna because there was usually the guarantee of two things: broken noodles and extra ricotta cheese. We hardly used ricotta if not to make a lasagna or baked ziti, so sneaking small spoonfuls of the creamy cheese was always such a treat.

Today I don't have to wait to have ricotta if I want to, but creating a dip recipe is a great excuse to eat it by the spoonful, or by the pita chip in this case. Light ricotta cheese is whipped together with a bit of heavy cream, lemon juice and fresh chives to make a creamy dip that is a complete indulgence. I added olive oil to the ricotta, but I love to pour extra on top and allow it to pool in the nooks of the cheese. This recipe would be great with a warm, crusty slice of bread too, similarly to how they serve their bread at Peasant in Nolita. 

Whipped Ricotta with Chives

• 1 cup ricotta cheese

• 1/2 lemon, juice

• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, whole

• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

• Pinch of paprika

• Black pepper

• 2 tablespoon olive oil + more to serve

1. Combine ricotta, lemon juice, fresh chives, heavy cream, paprika and black pepper in a food processor.

2. On low speed, blend together the ingredients pouring in the olive oil in a steady stream. Pulse until the chives are completely integrated into the ricotta mixture.

3. Serve in a bowl with extra olive oil to taste.