The fusilli plus our trip to Cape May inspired me to make another pasta dish - Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto and Ricotta. Billy and I found this cute little cheese shop around the block from the bed & breakfast that we stayed at in Cape May. In addition to all of the delicious cheeses, they had a gourmet food section where I found the sun-dried tomato pesto. This dish itself is so simple but it has a lot of flavor and is wonderfully creamy.
Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto and Ricotta
1 box penne pasta
1 small jar sun-dried tomato pesto
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 handfuls of grated Romano cheese
Salt to taste
Cook pasta according to package; drain and place in a large serving bowl. Add ricotta cheese, Romano cheese and heavy cream and mix well. Add the pesto 1 tablespoon at a time until you get desired flavor. Add salt to taste. Enjoy!!
Footnote - Try not to let the pasta cool before adding the ricotta. The heat from the pasta will help the ricotta melt and make the dish more creamy.
9.22.2009
Fusilli with Spinach and Ricotta...
Billy and I went to this little Italian restaurant and shared the most delicious pasta dish - Fusilli with Spinach and Ricotta.
Fusilli with Spinach and Ricotta
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very well
1 package fusilli pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat until shimmery. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add spinach and white wine and saute until heated through. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta a place it in a large serving bowl. Toss the pasta with the spinach mixture and add the ricotta. Mix until the pasta is coated. If creamier texture is desired, stir in reserved pasta water.
Footnotes - When adding the ricotta, it is best to work quickly while the pasta is still hot. The heat from the pasta will help melt the ricotta so it is more creamy.
Fusilli with Spinach and Ricotta
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very well
1 package fusilli pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat until shimmery. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add spinach and white wine and saute until heated through. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta a place it in a large serving bowl. Toss the pasta with the spinach mixture and add the ricotta. Mix until the pasta is coated. If creamier texture is desired, stir in reserved pasta water.
Footnotes - When adding the ricotta, it is best to work quickly while the pasta is still hot. The heat from the pasta will help melt the ricotta so it is more creamy.
The first signs of fall...
This past weekend we went apple picking in Warwick, NY with our friends Lita and Walter and their son Joey. It was Joey's first time apple picking. The day was beautiful, about 70 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. We ended the day at the Warwick Valley Winery eating deep dish apple pie and sipping some awesome white wine!
