In case you haven’t caught onto me yet, I am a big sweet-savory girl. When I have something sweet, I need something savory to balance it out, and vice versa. And when something is both sweet and savory, well, I just eat more of it. It’s a way of life.
So after a few too many rounds of scooting these sweet cookies into my mouth, I decided it was time to tip the scales in favor of savory. Also, I just kind of wanted a biscuit. Enter these scones.
I call them scones simply because of their shape, but really, if you cut this dough with a biscuit cutter (which is totally cool and socially appropriate) it magically becomes a biscuit. It’s a little denser and fluffier than a normal biscuit, thanks in part to the addition of soft ricotta, but it still renders those buttery flakes and layers. The green onions give it some savory kick; the sea salt and smoked paprika on top help it along, too. It’s crumbly and yet not dry in all the ways a good scone should be (notice how I’m really trying hard not to say the word that starts with ‘m’ and ends with ‘oist’) and it makes an excellent companion for a hot cup of joe or tea — or hot chocolate, if you suddenly find yourself needing a little sweetness again.
Ingredients
- 2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 3/4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup chopped scallion
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water (for egg wash)
- sea salt for topping
- black pepper for topping
- smoked paprika for topping
Directions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in scallions and ricotta cheese. Add milk and stir until just combined and a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently into a ball. Carefully pat down ball into a 1-inch-tall rectangle; divide into 8 equal pieces. Carefully transfer scones to an ungreased baking sheet. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and smoked paprika.
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until scones are golden brown and puffy. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes before serving.
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