Cornmeal, Honey and Ricotta Fritters

A dessert that doesn’t overwhelm with sweetness. . From America Farm To Table by Mario Batali and Jim Webster (Grand Central Life & Style). 1 cup (250 mL) cottage cheese 1 cup (250 mL) sheep’s milk ricotta Zest of 2 oranges 2 large eggs 1 cup (250 mL) plain Greek yogurt ¼ cup 60 mL) honey 1¼ (435 mL) cups superfine cornmeal 1¼ cups (435 mL) superfine semolina ½ cup (125 mL) heavy cream, warmed 8 tbsp (120 mL) unsalted butter, softened 2 cups (500 mL) extra-virgin olive oil Confectioners’ sugar for dusting 1 cup (250 mL) bitter honey such as corbezzolo, warmed In a bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, ricotta, orange zest, eggs, yogurt and honey until well blended. In a separate bowl, mix the cornmeal and semolina and form a well in the centre. In a small saucepan, stir together the warmed cream and butter until the butter has melted. Pour the cream mixture into the well in the flour mixture and incorporate wet into dry to form a dough. Knead the dough for 1 minute, form into a ball, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat the oil in a high-sided pan until it registers 375 F on a deep-fry thermometer. With a pasta roller, roll out the pastry to ¼-inch (6 mm) thickness. Cut 26 three-inch (3 cm) rounds. Place 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the cheese mixture on 13 rounds and cover with another round of dough. Press edges together to seal and press around edges with fork tines. Refrigerate for 10 minutes on a tray. Gently drop the fritters into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to paper towels to drain. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve with warm bitter honey.

Makes 13 fritters