Ricotta and tomato pasta

Ingredients

• 400g orecchiette (or any small pasta)
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• sea salt and black pepper
• 150g ricotta
• large handful fresh basil leaves, torn

Method

Cook pasta in a large pan of lightly salted water according to packet instructions until al dente. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a frying pan over low heat and fry garlic and chilli until fragrant.

Add tomatoes and cook gently for 2-3 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat

Drain pasta, toss with sauce and place in a large serving dish. Sprinkle with chunks of ricotta and basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Ricotta gnocchi

350g thick ricotta

250g baby spinach

50g grated parmesan

1 egg, lightly beaten

pinch nutmeg

100g plain flour

salt and pepper to season

extra flour for dusting

butter, for greasing

80ml extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

400g can chopped tomatoes

2 tsp sugar

2 handfuls basil leaves, roughly torn

extra parmesan, shaved, to serve

extra basil leaves, to serve

1. Put ricotta in a sieve over a large bowl.

cover and put in fridge to drain overnight.

2. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Add spinach and blanch for 1 minute. Drain thoroughly, then squeeze out excess water and chop.

3. combine ricotta, spinach, parmesan and egg in a large bowl. Gently stir in nutmeg and flour until a soft dough forms. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 40cm long log shape. Cut each log into 2cm thick pieces to make a total of 40 pieces. With lightly floured hands, roll each piece into an oval shape. Add to prepared tray.

5. grease a large ceramic dish and set aside in a warm place. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Carefully drop half the gnocchi, 1 at a time into the water. Cook until they rise to the surface then cook for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to prepared dish. cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining half.

6. To make sauce, heat oil in a medium saucepan over a high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomatoes and sugar, then season with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring, for 4 minutes, then stir in basil.

7. Spoon sauce onto serving plates. Add some of the gnocchi to each and top with extra parmesan and basil.

Ricotta and spinach gnocchi

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bunch english spinach, trimmed, rinsed, shredded
350g fresh ricotta
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino
extra flour for dusting
extra 1/4 cup finely grated pecorino
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
400g cannellini beans, drained, rinsed

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Heat 2 tsp of the oil ina medium heavy based pan over a medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 mins. Add spinach and cook for 1-2 mins or until spinach is wilted. Spoon mix into a colander. Set aside to cool, the press down with a wooden spoon to squeeze out excess liquid. Transfer mix to a medium bowl.
2. Add ricotta, egg, flour, nutmeg and pecorino to spinach mixture and stir to combine. Dust hands with extra flour, then shape tblsp of mix into balls to make gnocchi. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add gnocchi and cook for 1-2 mins or until gnocchi floats to top. Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with extra pecorino and bake for 5-6 mins.
3. Heat remaining oil in a medium heavy based pan over a medium heat. Add garlic, thyme and tomato and cook for 4-5 mins. Add beans and cook for 3-4 minutes. Serve gnocchi with tomato and bean mixture.

Banana, ricotta and white chocolate crepes

2 eggs
250ml milk
50g unsalted butter, melted
100g plain flour
pinch salt
zest of 1/2 lemon
olive oil spray
4 bananas, unpeeled, halved lengthways
2 tbsp brown sugar
300g fresh ricotta
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
125g blueberries
2 tbsp icing sugar
100g white choc, coarsely grated
extra icing sugar to serve

1. whisk eggs, milk and butter in a large jug. Then whisk in flour, salt and lemon zest. Rest for 5 mins.
2. Preheat a flat BBQ plate to high. Sit a non-stick bbq sheet over plate. Spray with oil, then pour enough batter onto sheet to form a 20cm round. Repeat with remaining oil and batter until you've cooked 8 crepes.
3. Preheat a BBQ grill to high. Add bananas and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until skin is blackened and fruit is caramelised. Carefully remove skin and put flesh in a large bowl. Add half the sugar and toss to coat.
4. Combine ricotta, vanilla and remaining sugar ina medium bowl. Put blueberries, icing sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, then toss to combine.
5. To assemble crepes, spread half the ricotta mixture over surface of 1 crepe. Top with 1/8 of banana mixture, and generously srinkle with chocolate. Fold in half, then half again. Repeat with remaining crepes.
6. To serve, arrange crepes on serving plates and spoon over blueberry mixture. Dust generously with icing sugar.

Roast pumpkin, ricotta and cashew salad

1.2 kg of butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded
olive oil
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
200g fresh ricotta, crumbled
400g can canellini beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup salted cashews
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 pieces of preserved lemon, pulp removed, finely chopped
1 tsp sumac

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Line a large oven tray wit baking paper. Cut pumpkin into 3cm pieces and put ina single layer on a prepared tray. Spray with oil, sprinkle with chilli and season. Roast for 25-30 mins or until tender. Cool.
2. Combine pumpkin, ricotta, beans and cashews in a mixing bowl. Put oil, vinegar, lemon and sumac and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper in a jug and whisk with a fork to combine. Add dressing to pumpkin mixture, toss to combine and serve immediately.

Ricotta and chive ravioli with brandy sage butter

olive oil for frying
10 cloves garlic
1 bunch sage, leaves picked
250g ricotta
100g persian fetta
1/3 cup grated parmesan
2 tbsp copped fresh oregano
1 bunch chives, chopped
Sea salt and pepper
275g packet gow gee wrappers
1/2 cup brandy
80g brandy
flaked parmesan to serve

1. fill a frypan with 2cm of olive oil, heat to medium-high and cook sage leaves, in batches for 10-20 secs until crisp and drain on paper towel. Cook upeeled cloves of garlic in oil for 5 mins until golden and drain on paper towel.
2. Squeeze flesh from 3 cooked garlic cloves, chop and put into a bowl with ricotta, fetta, parmesan, oregano and chives. Season with salt and pepper and stir until well combined.
3. Put 4 gow gee wrappers on a flat surface and place 1 tblsp of ricotta mixture in the centre of each one. Brush edges with water then top with another wrapper. Press edges together to seal. Use an 8cm cookie cutter to cut out ravioli shapes. Repeat with remaining mixture and wrappers.
4. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook ravioli 4 at a time until they float. Keep warm.
5. Heat brandy in a frying pan until simmering. Add butter and stir until melted. Heat for 3-4 mins, until butter begins to brown. Remove from heat and stir in sage leaves and remaining garlic. Spoon sauce over ravioli and sprinkle with parmesan.

Orange ricotta tartlets

melted butter for greasing,
2 cups of plain flour
2 tbsp icing sugar
125g butter cubed
1 egg, lightly beaten
extra flour for kneading
extra egg, lightly beaten
icing sugar for dusting

Ricotta filling:
250g fresh ricotta
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp orange essence
1 tbsp plain flour

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Brush a 12-hol patty cake tin with melted butter. process flour and icing sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and process until dough just comes together. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead. Form dough into a 2cm thick disc, wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins or until firm.
2. Roll out dough to 5mm thick and cut out 12 rounds using a 8cm biscuit cutter. Place round in prepared tin, prick base of pastry shell with a fork and freeze for 5 mins. Put in oven and bake for 10 mins or until light golden. Stand on wire rack to cool. Reduce oven to 180C.
3. To make filling, put ricotta and icing sugar in a medium mixing bowl and add egg, orange rind, essence and flour and whisk to combine. Spoon ricotta mix into pastry shells.
4. Using left over pastry cut 5mm wide strips long enough to cover pastry shells from side to side. Top each pastry shells with 2 strips to form a cross. Brush with extra egg. Bake for 15-20 mins or until ricotta mixture is firm and crosses are golden. Cool on wire rack and dust with icing sugar before serving.

Baked ricotta and roasted tomatoes on sourdough

melted butter, for greasing
500g fresh ricotta
1/2 cup parmesan or pecorino, finely grated
2 tbsp lemon thyme leaves
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt and pepper
6 medium roma tomatoes
1 eshalot peeled, thinly sliced
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt flakes
4 slices sourdough, chargrilled

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Brush a 4 cup ovenproof dish with melted butter. Put ricotta, parmesan, thyme, egg and salt and peper in mixing bowl and mix to combine. Spoon into prepared dish and smooth top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until light golden and set. Set aside to cool. Turn out onto a plate.
2. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Cut tomato into 3 slices lengthways, and place on prepared tray. Scatter with eschalots and drizzle with vinegar, oil and salt flakes. Bake for 10-15 mins and set aside to cool.
3. Put sourdough on plate. Top with slices of baked ricotta and baked tomato. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with lemon thyme.