When I first learned to make ricotta, I went slightly overboard with delight and had ricotta overflowing in my refrigerator. I made gnocchi, ravioli, gelato, Kulka's ricotta lemon bars, cheesecakes and used it in a number of pasta dishes. It seems like I was searching daily for other recipes to incorporate it. One day, in the cheese section of our local health food store, I came across something new to me- ricotta infornata, a slow baked ricotta cheese with a golden brown crust and crumbly center. I purchased a piece and was so delighted by it's simplicity and possible uses that I of course, wanted to try to make it. A web search revealed a few methods so I experimented. A blog by Marisa Wilkins, All Things Sicilian, was an inspiration. My version bakes up creamier than the cheese I purchased, actually a plus in my mind. I love the earthiness that bay imparts but it is also good using fresh rosemary. Serve it as a first course with a salad or as a dessert drizzled with honey and served with figs or grapes. The possibilities are as endless as is the use for any good cheese!

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