Homemade calzones led to the creation of this salmon cake recipe. What do calzones have to do with salmon cakes? Nothing really, except a little ricotta cheese.
I’m always tinkering with my recipe for salmon cakes. Or patties. Or croquettes. It depends on my mood which name I use. My mood also determines the tinker tools. Some days I might add a little minced red onion and curry powder. Other days it might be little cubes of mozzarella cheese, oregano and crushed red pepper. Once I added corn kernels and green onions.
Recently, I added extra salmon so I would have leftovers for my lunch the next day. The extra wasn’t enough to warrant a whole egg, but I needed more binder. Poking around in the refrigerator, I found a half-used carton of ricotta cheese left from when my husband made calzones earlier in the week.
The ricotta did a fine job of binding the mixture, and it helped give the cakes a lovely golden-brown hue as they fried.
Salmon Cakes With Smoked Paprika and Ricotta
1 ½ cups flaked, leftover salmon OR 15 ounces canned salmon, drained
¼ small sweet onion, minced
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch ground red pepper (cayenne)
¼ cup ricotta cheese
½ sleeve butter crackers, such as Ritz, finely crushed
Salt and ground black pepper
1 egg
Olive oil, for frying
In a medium bowl, combine the salmon, onion, bell pepper, parsley, paprika, red pepper, ricotta cheese and crushed crackers and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings and season with salt and black pepper. Add egg and mix well. Divide and shape mixture into 6 patties.
To a large, heavy skillet, add enough oil to fill by ¼ inch and heat over medium-high heat.
Fry patties, turning once, until golden brown on both sides.
Makes 6 patties.
Food, Pages 31 on 06/26/2013