- Soaking it in brandy and spices brings out its richness and makes it the star of the dish.
- It's a handy substitute if you don't have a whole vanilla bean on hand.
- Brandy, cognac or Armagnac all work well, depending on what you've got.
- Simply skip the alcohol or gently heat it with the water to cook off the booze.
- The longer the prunes steep, the more flavour they absorb, you can even store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Shortcut with store-bought options, or just drizzle plain honey if you're short on time.
- As soon as your honey starts to bubble, switch off the heat and let it infuse for 10 minutes.
- Resting it overnight on kitchen towel helps firm it up and gives you a crisp golden crust when frying.
- Deli-style ricotta is essential for this recipe — avoid the soft supermarket tubs.
- If oranges aren't in season, try mandarins or any other segmented fruit.
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- 500g pitted prunes (dried plums)
- 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthways
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 2 star anise
- 1 cup brandy (or Armagnac)
- 2 cups boiling water
- ¼ cup mild honey
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 400g fresh ricotta (from the deli section)
- Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
- 1 orange, finely zested and segmented
- 1 teaspoon very finely chopped rosemary
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped pistachio nuts
- , place the ricotta on a tea towel and let it rest for 1 hour so that it releases all the excess liquid and becomes dry. Place a non-stick saucepan large enough to hold the ricotta over medium heat. Drizzle some oil in the pan, then add the ricotta and cook until browned. Then, carefully flip the ricotta using a spatula and repeat the process. The middle should still be wobbly. (If using a cast iron or stainless-steel pan, place baking paper on the base of the pan so the ricotta doesn't stick)
- , in a small saucepan, combine honey and rosemary over low heat for 2—3 minutes. Remove from heat and let the honey and rosemary infuse for at least 10 minutes. This can also be done days in advance — just leave the honey and rosemary to infuse in a warm spot.
- Bring together the orange zest, orange segments, rosemary and pistachio in a small mixing bowl and toss to combine.
- the warm ricotta with the drunken prunes, warmed infused honey and scatter over the orange, rosemary and pistachio mixture.