Fry

Diana Kennedy's Scrambled Ricotta (Requesón Revuelto a La Mexicana)

by:
July 15, 2014
4.5
2 Ratings
Diana Kennedy's Scrambled Ricotta (Requesón Revuelto a La Mexicana)
Photo by James Ransom
  • Makes 2 1/2 cups to serve 4
Author Notes

Your new trick for vegetarian taco nights, summer brunches, and fridge-clearing, last-minute dinners. Adapted slightly from The Art of Mexican Cooking (Bantam Books, 1989). —Genius Recipes

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups firmly packed ricotta cheese
  • 4 tablespoons safflower oil (or other neutral oil)
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
  • 4 (or to taste) chiles serranos, finely chopped (remove some or all of the seeds and white ribs if you want to make it less spicy)
  • 1 1/4 cups finely chopped, unpeeled tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) sea salt
Directions
  1. Note: The ricotta should be well-drained, almost dry (or else it will take longer to cook down). If it is not, drain it in a fine mesh strainer lined with a piece of cheesecloth or a coffee filter to get rid of extra moisture, then spread it out to dry a little before using it.
  2. When you're ready to cook, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fresh chiles, and fry gently without browning for 1 minute.
  3. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking over high heat, stirring from time to time until the mixture is fairly dry -- about 4 minutes.
  4. Add the ricotta and salt and mix well. Cook over medium heat until it begins to turn a light creamy color and is no longer liquid: when turned with a spoon it should come away cleanly from the surface of the pan, about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how well you've drained your ricotta. Serve immediately with corn tortillas.
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  • samanthaalison
    samanthaalison
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    Dea Henrich
  • Paul Schäfer
    Paul Schäfer
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Genius Recipes

Recipe by: Genius Recipes

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8 Reviews

samanthaalison
samanthaalison August 18, 2019
Definitely tasty, but pretty similar in taste/texture to egg tacos, but with way more cooking time. I'd probably make it again if I was feeding someone who couldn't have eggs, and it's useful to know that ricotta will behave this way, but this isn't going into the regular rotation.
 
Lorraine
Lorraine September 4, 2016
Can you use canned tomatoes or sauce for this?
 
Dea H.
Dea H. July 7, 2015
This sound delicious, but why is ricotta more vegetarian than eggs?
 
Paul S.
Paul S. October 17, 2015
If you're a pro-live vegetarian it is
 
Dea H.
Dea H. October 17, 2015
I don't understand your statement. Chickens produce eggs whether they are fertilized or not. Eggs are not unborn chicks. No harm comes to a chicken, and their nesting area becomes quite nasty if you don't remove the eggs and let them rot. With dairy, the mammal has to breed to keep giving milk. If this is left unchecked, then there are too many animals, so this usually means the excess stock is sold for food. On just about any measure, eggs are more truly vegetarian than dairy.
 
aimeebama
aimeebama November 5, 2014
Wow. Superb. Easy. Delicious.
 
weshook
weshook July 17, 2014
Sounds delicious and a nice change from scrambled tofu that I make since my grandson is allergic to eggs. Now I just have to remember to buy ricotta.
 
monica
monica July 16, 2014
ooh dang, can't wait to try this!!!