Ricotta, Chevre and Mint Layers with Balsamic Strawberries

By mrslarkin • June 3, 2010 • 0 Comments

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Author Notes: Strawberries and goat cheese taste so great together. In trying to think how I could pair them, I remembered my Ricotta, Feta and Mint Layers with Honeyed Blood Oranges post. I changed a few ingredients to complement the strawberries and chevre. I’m glad I made a half-batch for breakfast this morning, because I’m sure I would’ve eaten the full batch myself. Serve with crackers (like my Lemon Pepper Shortbread Crackers) or crostini. This could easily be a dessert, cheese course, or part of a lovely breakfast. My recipe is adapted from Ricotta and Caprino Layered with Fresh Basil Leaves, from the cookbook My Italian Garden by Viana La Place.

- mrslarkin

Serves 3 or more

4 ounces chevre, or other good quality goat cheese
4 ounces ricotta
large bunch of fresh mint leaves
olive oil
sea salt or kosher salt
honey
1 cup chopped strawberries
1 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon aceto balsamico di Modena

In a shallow bowl or dish, mash together the chevre and the ricotta with the back of a fork.
Lightly oil a 3” x 6” mini loaf pan with olive oil.
Or use MrsWheelbarrow's alternate extraction method and line the mini loaf pan with plastic wrap. (Thanks for the tip, MrsW!)
Spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture into the bottom of the pan. Cover with a single layer of mint leaves, and gently press them into the cheese. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with sea salt. Continue with another layer of cheese, followed by a layer of mint leaves, drizzle of honey and sprinkle of sea salt. Spread the last layer of cheese on top, another drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of sea salt. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the top layer of cheese to keep it moist, or gather up the overhanging plastic.
Refrigerate for a half hour.
Remove cheese from refrigerator. Combine the strawberries, sugar, black pepper to taste, lemon zest and aceto balsamico. Stir together gently and let macerate for a few minutes.
Remove or unwrap top layer of plastic wrap from the cheese. Invert the mini loaf pan onto a serving dish. Spoon strawberries over top.
Garnish with additional fresh mint leaves. Serve with crackers or crostini.