Recipes with ricotta cheese

Mandarin orange cheesecake wrapped in crackling phyllo pastry, filled with cream cheese and ricotta, then soaked in orange blossom syrup for a Middle Eastern twist on a classic.

Port-soaked dried figs stuffed with ricotta cheese and topped with a whole almond. An elegant make-ahead appetizer or dessert bite that needs overnight chilling.

Ricotta pudding baked in individual cups until puffed and golden, made with part-skim ricotta, lemon zest, and a folded egg white for souffle-like lift. A light Italian-style dessert.

Golden, puffy calzones stuffed with three cheeses, prosciutto, fresh tomatoes, and garlic. Crispy crust, molten filling, and ready in about an hour. Better than delivery.

Beef lasagna with a ricotta filling spiked with cinnamon and nutmeg for a Greek-leaning twist. Layered with mozzarella, parmesan, and meat sauce for a stretchy, savory bake.

Penne with bacon, peas, and ricotta is a creamy 5-ingredient pasta ready in 20 minutes. Smoky bacon fat coats the penne while ricotta melts into a silky sauce.

Asparagus and ricotta pasta tossed in a silky sauce made with parmesan and pasta cooking water. Fresh basil and black pepper keep it bright and light.

Holiday pasta bake layers penne with eggplant tomato sauce, creamy ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. A make-ahead crowd-feeder that bakes into a bubbling, cheesy, eggplant-rich casserole. Serves eight from one dish.

Baked Italian mac and cheese built on a from-scratch bechamel and three cheeses, ricotta, white cheddar, and Romano, with fresh basil and a crisp Italian breadcrumb top. Creamy inside, golden on top.

Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with ricotta, Parmesan, and egg, baked in a homemade basil tomato sauce and topped with melted mozzarella. Classic Italian comfort food.

Kalitsounia me kanella, sweet Greek cheese pastries filled with ricotta, cinnamon, and sugar, folded into half-moons and dusted with powdered sugar. Traditional Cretan Easter sweet with a tender pastry shell.

Kalitsounia me kanella, sweet Greek cheese pastries filled with ricotta, cinnamon, and sugar, folded into half-moons and dusted with powdered sugar. Traditional Cretan Easter sweet with a tender pastry shell.

Penne with marinara sauce, crispy bacon, and whipped ricotta on the side. Red pepper flakes add heat to the sauce while creamy Parmesan-ricotta rounds out every bite.

An Italian-style cheesecake blending ricotta and cream cheese with a generous pour of amaretto liqueur on a buttery graham cracker crust. Creamy, almond-scented, and baked until just set for a luxurious dessert.

Fontina, mushroom, and pancetta lasagna layers a ricotta-spinach filling, rosemary-scented mushrooms, and a tomato-porcini-pancetta sauce under melty fontina and Parmesan. A rich, make-ahead Italian centerpiece.

Layered Tex-Mex spinach bake with a Bisquick crust, taco-seasoned beef, creamy ricotta spinach, and a bubbly cheddar-sour cream top. Feeds 8 hungry people.