Steve Freides wrote:
> This is one of my favorite midday snacks and also desserts. No measured
> amounts, I'm afraid, as I just eyeball it.
>
> You need a small bowl and a spoon, plus a handful of dry-roasted
> almonds, perhaps a tablespoon of maple syrup, about 3 tablespoons of
> ricotta (or yogurt or sour cream) and a few shakes of ground cinnamon.
>
> In a small bowl, e.g., I use a soup bowl, cover the bottom with a layer
> of dry-roasted almonds. I prefer and therefore use unsalted
>
> Pour the maple syrup in, enough so that the almonds can soak it up a
> bit. You may continue right away or let the almonds soak in the maple
> syrup for a few minutes but don't let them soak for too long or they'll
> get mushy.
>
> Add a couple of health dollops of ricotta cheese. I use an organic,
> whole milk "ricotta" that, by strict definition, is actually paneer and
> not ricotta, but that's not important here. You could try it with other
> dairy products of a similar texture, e.g., I'm sure this would work very
> nicely with thick yogurt, and I've made it with sour cream - talk about
> rich, oh my, sour cream...
>
> Sprinkle some ground cinnamon on top - start with a little and find out
> how much you like. Too much alters the flavor of the dish for the worse
> but a small amount does wonders. Maybe 3 shakes from a commercial bottle
> of ground cinnamon.
>
> If you like, and I like, add a small amount of coffee, perhaps 1/2 to 1
> teaspoon. I use espresso, preferably what's sitting in a cup I didn't
> finish earlier in the day, but it's a small enough amount that adding it
> hot won't be a problem. The coffee makes only a small difference in the
> taste and can easily be left out - and if you don't like coffee, you
> probably should leave it out.
>
> Stir until thoroughly mixed and enjoy right away.
>
> The above is one serving for me.
>
> The inspiration for this was desserts my wife and I had when we were in
> Greece - yogurt, nuts, and honey. You could substitute honey for the
> maple syrup here if you prefer.
>
> -S-
>
>

Hmmm. Or make that Mmmm. I LIKE ricotta desserts. Too bad SF
maple syrup would probably not play the star role well at all, but
I will keep this in the back of my mind.

--
Jean B.
Practicing Luddite and increasingly radical environmentalist.
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/ErstwhileEditor