Scrambled Ricotta with Pan-Fried Mushrooms and Scallion

You may not have realized that you can scramble or bake ricotta cheese just like eggs, but if you're tired of eggs and still looking for protein in your breakfast, try this very simple, smooth and slightly tangy ricotta scramble for a change. Any fried vegetables would go well with the ricotta, a very flexible and versatile cheese, but I like to top it off with mushrooms fried using my own special method. The secret of cooking beautiful, crisp but juicy mushrooms, I've discovered, is to fry them in olive oil over very high heat — this seals in the juicy flavours inside a golden reddish-brown exterior that's almost as good to look at as to eat. Scallions, green chilies, salt and pepper finish off the earthy and slightly spicy flavours.

Scrambled ricotta with pan-fried mushrooms and scallion

4 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
1 scallion, both white and green parts, chopped
3 small green chilies, or to taste, finely chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese, whole fat
1 teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

Set an 8-inch frying pan over high heat for a minute. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the middle of the pan, wait 10 seconds, then swirl around to coat the pan. Let the oil heat for another 30 seconds.

Toss in the mushrooms and stir fry for about 6-8 minutes until the sides turn to a deep reddish-brown. Sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and some fresh ground black pepper over the mushrooms and stir. Pour in another tablespoon of olive oil, then add the white parts of the scallions and the chilies and continue to stir fry for another couple of minutes until the scallions brown at the edges. Finally, stir in the green parts of the scallions for just a minute until they are softened. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Turn the heat on the stove down to medium and wipe down the pan with a damp cloth. Return the pan to the heat and, as before, let the pan warm up for another minute before adding the last tablespoon of olive oil to the middle and waiting 10 seconds before swirling around.

When the oil is hot, spoon in the ricotta cheese (watch out for splattering) and spread evenly over the pan in a thin layer. Let the ricotta cook undisturbed for 5 minutes, during which time the cheese will bubble and brown at the edges.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt over the ricotta and turn the mixture over gently with a wooden spoon, trying to get all the uncooked top of the cheese on the bottom in contact with the frying pan. Let the cheese cook again for another 5 minutes without stirring.

When the cheese is cooked, give it gentle scramble with the spoon and remove straight from the heat on to plates. Pour the mushroom mixture on top and grind over some black pepper. Serves two.