This was quite a bit of work, but no one told me to go and make my own ricotta. I used the recipe HERE, but I used almost completely different herbs and cheeses. It went over really well. It was served as a picnic meal-OK we had the picnic on a blanket in the living room because the Spring-like weather wouldn't cooperate with our picnic whim. You can't very well have a picnic with 35 mph wind gusts. Anyway, it was devoured happily, and there was still plenty left for tomorrow's lunch. With any luck, we might even make it outside.
My filling ended up being:
Onion
Kale
Parsley
Mint
Peas
Preserved lemon
Thyme
Salt/Pepper
Ricotta
Pepato Cheese
Cheddar Cheese
Swiss Cheese
3 eggs rather than 2
I know it sounds like an utterly bizarre combination, but it turned out lovely. I think Danny was astounded when he tasted it.
I really like the way olive oil works with phyllo, and it seems marginally better for you than a bunch of clarified butter. This will certainly become a regular dish in rotation at our home.
For Ricotta:
2 quarts whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
Heat together over high heat, stirring and scraping the bottom to keep it from scalding. When heat reaches about 170, curds will start to form. Stop stirring and remove from heat. Remove clumps with a slotted spoon to a cheesecloth lined sieve. Drain well, do not press. Keep covered in the fridge until ready to use.
