Mel i Mato

I’ve been into making easy, light and yummy desserts lately.  This may be the easiest of all.  Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia about Mel i Mato:  Mató (Catalan pronunciation: [məˈto]) is a Catalan fresh cheese made from cows’ or goats’ milk, with no salt added. It is usually served with honey, as a dessert, called mel i mató.  Mató appeared in the Sent Soví, a Catalan cookbook from the 14th century. It was very popular during the Middle Ages, when it was made plain or scented with orange flowers.  

Ooohhh…orange flowers?  I’ll be trying this with orange flower water I have from Savory Spice Shop next time I make it.  I feel certain mixing a few drops of the fragrant water into the cheese before molding would add a heady floral aroma and flavor giving it a more complex taste.  Stay tuned for that.  Since we know honey was used as a food as well as medicinally back in the Middle Ages I sense honey was drizzled over the cheese back then too.

If you’re looking for a dessert that is not too heavy on the calories or too sugary give this a try.  It can be plated ahead of time and simply drizzled with honey and topped with nuts at the last-minute for a quick and impressive dessert!

Enjoy!

Mel i MatoFor each serving scoop out about 1/4 cup ricotta onto a dessert plate.  Use the back of your spoon to press it into a rounded shape.  You can also do this by scooping it into custard cups then inverting onto the plate.  Toast a few walnuts and sprinkle them on top.  Drizzle with a generous amount of honey.  Serve.