Pasta con la Ricotta e Pecorino - Pasta with Ricotta and Pecorino

This pasta dish reflects the simplicity of old peasant cooking, when dishes were prepared simply with whatever ingredients one had on hand. Some of the best ricotta comes from southern Italy. Roman ricotta has a flavorful granular consistency that is often used as a topping for pasta or in the ricotta cake - torte di ricotta. Since we do not have Roman ricotta we rely on the best we can find. Check your local Italian market for fresh whole milk ricotta. If not available to you, buy the best possible brand.

Cook 1 pound penne or shells in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, combine 8 ounces whole milk ricotta, 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino romano (parmiginao if you don;t have pecorino) and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley in a large bowl.

Mix thoroughly with a large spoon until you have a soft loose mixture.. If too thick, add a bit more milk.

Drain pasta and add to the bowl. Mix well and serve at once. This should feed 4 to 6 people.

Penne alla Fornaia - Penne with Tomatoes, Pesto, and Ricotta

If there is one thing that unites Italians everywhere, I would say it is pasta. They are in love with pasta. They argue about it, and they can not let a day go by without it. I love this particular pasta dish best in the summer when there are vine ripen tomatoes and fresh basil in the garden. You can also use imported canned Italian tomatoes (I recommend San Marzano) as you will find below. Finding a good Italian whole milk ricotta is important to the flavor of this sauce as well. Shop your local Italian market or deli for a good Italian ricotta, if not buy the very best brand you can find.

Place 4 cups canned imported tomatoes with their juice through a food mill or strainer to remove seeds.

Heat 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add 1/3 large red onion finely diced and 1 garlic clove minced. Cook and stir until onion is soft, 4 to 5 minutes.

Ass 1 cup of dry white wine and cook until the wine is almost all reduced.

Stir in the tomatoes and cook uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes. The sauce will start to reduce and thicken and reduce some.

Add 2 tablespoons pesto and mix in well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 3 tablespoons ricotta and mix well with a wooden spoon until it is incorporated completely into the sauce.

While the sauce is cooking, boil penne in a large pot of salted water until tender but al dente.

Drain the penne and add it to the sauce. Mix well.

Serve immediately sprinkled with freshly grated parmigiano.

Note: You can use your favorite recipe for pesto in this recipe or a store-bought pesto though it won't taste as fresh as it will if you make your own. I will add my recipe for pesto soon.

Ricotta e Spinaci Gnocchi con Burro e Parmigiano - Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi with Butter and Parmigiana

Gnocchi is a dish we enjoy eating in this house once in a great while. When I do make them, we always find this version with ricotta and spinach pleasingly addictive.

To make the gnocchi; in a large bowl place 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta, 1 cup of flour (bleached or unbleached. Italian cooks generally use unbleached flour when making pasta and gnocchi. Only difference is color; bleached is whiter), 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons finely chopped cooked spinach, fresh or frozen, 1/2 cup grated parmigiano, 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg and 1 to 2 teaspoons salt. Work it with your hands to mix until all the ingredients stick together forming somewhat of a dough.

Put the mixture on a granite/quartz counter top or wooden board and knead lightly for 2 to 3 minutes, adding gradually up to 1/4 cup of flour if the dough sticks to the counter or your hands. When you have a soft, pliable dough and only a little sticky, divide it into pieces about the size of small oranges:

Using both your hands, roll out each piece of dough with a light back and forth motion:

The dough will stretch out as you roll lightly back and forth with your hands, creating a long thin roll.

You want the thickness about the size of your pinky finger:

Cut each roll into about 1/2 to 1 inch pieces and place the gnocchi on a floured baking sheet.

At this point you can cook them or place them in the fridge uncovered for several hours or even overnight. These gnocchi can be in the fridge longer than traditional potato gnocchi without losing texture, which makes them a great dish to serve when entertaining since they cook so quickly as well.

When ready to cook the gnocchi, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Have a large skillet ready with 4 tablespoons unsalted butter.

Add a tablespoon of salt to the boiling water and the gnocchi. Cook over high heat until the gnocchi float to the top of the water, 1 to 2 minutes. In the meantime, melt the butter in the skillet. When gnocchi are cooked, remove from water with a skimmer or slotted spoon, draining off the excess water over the pot. Put gnocchi in the skillet with the butter and add about 1/3 cup freshly grated parmigiano. Add salt to taste if needed. Stir to coat gnocchi and cook less than a minute. Serve at once. You can top with more parmigiano if desired.