To soften the sun-dried tomatoes, put them in a saucepan with 2 fingers of water and bring to a boil. This step is not necessary if they are oil-packed tomatoes.

Let the sun-dried tomatoes boil and soften for 5 minutes, then turn off and set them aside.

If you need the cream for decorating or filling (sandwiches, canapés, profiteroles, savory cakes, and so on), it’s necessary that the ricotta is firm, solid, not too soft, otherwise, we risk ending up with a too-fluid cream, perfect only as a dip or to dress pasta and rice.

While the tomatoes are softening, shell the walnuts and put them in the bowl of an immersion blender. Add the squeezed sun-dried tomatoes, the ricotta (drained of any whey), and the oil.

Blend until you get a smooth, soft cream. If you want it even softer, add another teaspoon of oil or milk.

We can complete the ricotta cream with walnuts and sun-dried tomatoes by seasoning it with a pinch of oregano or chives.

It’s not necessary to add salt, especially if the ricotta cream will dress or accompany already salty or very salty dishes.

The cream can also be prepared a day in advance and kept well sealed in the fridge, in the coldest part, for no more than two days.

Extra idea. To make the cream even more delicious and tantalizing, add walnut granules and chunks of sun-dried tomatoes at the end of preparation; this way a pleasant contrast of textures is created.

If the cream hasn’t reached the desired density, don’t worry. You can fix it by adding the crumbled crumb of a slice of bread and blending everything again. Thanks to the bread crumb, the cream will immediately become thick and firm.

Bon appetit