Ricotta Donut with Honey and Pine Nuts

The ricotta donut with honey and pine nuts is a delicious dessert that combines the freshness of ricotta with the sweetness of honey, enriched by the crunchiness of pine nuts. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 250 g of ricotta
• 200 g of all-purpose flour
• 100 g of sugar
• 3 eggs
• 80 g of pine nuts
• 80 ml of vegetable oil
• 1 sachet of baking powder
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 pinch of salt
• Honey to garnish, as needed

Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix the ricotta well with the sugar until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well each time you add one.
3. Add the vegetable oil and the grated lemon zest. Mix again until you have a homogeneous mixture.
4. In another bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and add a pinch of salt.
5. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the ricotta mixture, mixing gently to avoid deflating the batter.
6. Add half of the pine nuts and stir so that they are evenly distributed.
7. Pour the batter into a previously buttered donut pan or lined with parchment paper.
8. Sprinkle the remaining pine nuts over the surface of the batter.
9. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 °C for about 30-35 minutes or until the donut is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Let the donut cool before unmolding it.
11. Before serving, warm up some honey and drizzle it over the donut for a sweet and shiny final touch.

Curiosity

Pine nuts are widely used in Italian cuisine, especially in the recipes from Tuscany and Liguria. They not only add crunchiness but also a delicately resinous flavor that pairs well with many desserts. Honey, moreover, is a natural sweetener that is appreciated in cooking not just for its sweetening properties but also for the various aromas it can have depending on the type of flowers the bees feed on.