Published by mel on September 18, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
If you’re looking for a lovely Sunday afternoon meal for the Fall, these meatballs are for you. They simmer lazily in Parmesan Shitake broth while you read a book or take a nap. They’re great with a crusty piece of bread, on top of pasta or straight out of the pot if no one’s looking.
Adding ricotta to your meatballs will take them to a whole new level, making them soft and tender and almost creamy. They’re delicate and hearty at the same time. A quick sear and they go straight into a broth flavored with Parmesan rinds and sauteed Shitake mushrooms. The meatballs cook through in the broth, infusing it with meaty goodness. Cooking meatballs in broth may seem weird (where’s the marinara?), but they’re so flavorful that it would be a shame to cover them with sauce.
I served these with homemade gnocchi for an excellent Sunday Supper.
Related: Weeknight Meatballs for when time is short
Continue reading ‘veal & lamb ricotta meatballs in shitake parmesan broth’
Published by mel on July 9, 2008 in dessert, recipe and sides & bites.
Nothing says summer like watermelon and mint. Watermelon is a summer staple - so juicy, sweet and refreshing. Ricotta salata is a firmer, saltier version of standard ricotta and resembles feta in texture, though it’s slightly creamier. It’s also the perfect contrast to the sweet melon.
I love this salad because it’s so versatile. You can serve mini versions as an hors d’ouevre as I did on Saturday night. Or as an appetizer, snack or even dessert. Depending on how your serving it, you can season it differently. If you’re going savory, drizzle the salad with some good-quality olive oil and a pinch of salt. If you’re serving it as a dessert or snack, drizzle it with honey and a sprinkle it with a coarse, finishing sugar.
Either way, it’s a delicious and unique salad perfect for hot summer evenings.
Continue reading ‘watermelon, ricotta salata & mint salad’
Published by mel on April 28, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I learned a valuable lesson on Saturday night: Don’t start making ravioli 30 minutes before your guests arrive. Especially if you’re not dressed yet. Especially if your shopping bags are littered on the floor and counter top. Especially if your guests are punctual.
Thank God my guests were not very punctual. I pinched the last ravioli together 5 minutes after they were supposed to arrive and I still had time to throw on some clothes and makeup.
The ravioli in question were stuffed with a blend of peas, whole milk ricotta and a pinch of cardamom. I really wanted the creamy mixture to shine so instead of drenching them in sauce, I poached the ravioli in a concentrated Parmesan broth and served them in that. I think this is my new favorite method for serving ravioli. The chicken stock and Parmesan rinds had been simmering for about 3 hours by the time we ate and the stock turned a deep, nut brown color. The whole apartment smelled of Parmesan. It was wonderful!
And the ravioli were really good. Creamy and pea-y and a nice contrast to the tangy broth. The meal turned out great and I’ll definitely make it again. Though next time I hope to give myself a bit more of a head start.
Continue reading ‘ricotta & pea ravioli in parmesan broth’
Published by mel on April 14, 2008 in recipe and sides & bites.
My parents threw a Cuban-themed party last week and served made-to-order Mojitos. To make a long story short, my mom had about 2 pounds (yes, pounds) of leftover fresh mint. I promptly came to the rescue and packed up about half the amount for myself. I forsee a lot of minty recipes being featured on the site in the next week or so.
Anyway, I had a lot of mint. I also had a few people coming over for Sunday supper. I decided to make a ricotta spread with lots of mint, garlic and freshly ground pepper. Instead of just putting it in a bowl as a dip, I smeared it onto toasted baguette slices with a few drops of good olive oil and a pinch of pretty black poppy seeds.
The ricotta was creamy, the mint was refreshing and the olive oil lent a nice richness to the toasts. This spread would also be great on sandwiches with fresh greens and prosciutto or as a dip for pita chips or crudite. It was quite a hit with the supper crowd and makes an easy, delicious addition to the hors d’ oeuvres table.
Continue reading ‘refreshing ricotta & poppy seed toasts’
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