Ricotta cheese is one of the most versatile ingredients you can have on hand. It is a pasta sauce and an instant light lunch, or in this case it is a mousse waiting to happen.
1/2 lemon
1 (32-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese, drained
Pinch salt
1 cup confectioners' sugar syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Grate the zest (the colored skin) from the lemon with a fine grater. Squeeze the juice; you should have about 1 tablespoon. Combine the ricotta cheese, salt, sugar, and vanilla in a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Scrape into a serving dish or individual dessert dishes, cover, and chill for at least an hour. Serve within 48 hours.