Fresh Ricotta Cheese with Olive oil and Dark Chocolate

I first experimented with cheese and chocolate while developing the Rooster truffle.   The dark chocolate truffle combines taleggio cheese with organic walnuts and anchors the Collezione Italiano.   Included in the collection are four other savory flavors with Italian inspiration.

Ricotta is a much milder cheese but works just as well with dark chocolate.  Ricotta is a fresh, snowy white cheese with the texture of cottage cheese.   It has a rich but mild slightly sweet flavor and can be used for savory or sweet dishes.  You must use FRESH ricotta for this recipe!  If you have trouble finding it, you can always make your own.

Using quality ingredients is paramount.  One of my favorite things to do is pair the perfect combinations of olive oil , salts, peppers and other ingredients.  Finally, I match them to their chocolate mate.  For this recipe, I crumbled a 65% Venezuelan dark chocolate atop the cheese. 

Serve this Ricotta with an hors d’oeuvre plate.  I included nuts, cherries, a few other cheeses and some black pepper crackers.  The La Panzanella black pepper crackers might just be the best crackers I have ever had in my life!

Fresh Ricotta Cheese with Olive Oil and Dark Chocolate

2 cups (or lbs.) Fresh Ricotta Cheese
3 tablespoons  Extra Virgin Olive Oil (try Barilla)
A pinch  Pink salt (try Murray’s River)
A pinch  White Pepper
1 1/2 ounces  Dark Chocolate (try 65% dark, Venezuelan)

Place Ricotta in a dish.  Stir in salt and pepper.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Chop dark chocolate into fine slivers and sprinkle atop.   Serve with crackers.