Orecchiette with Ricotta, Sage & Citrus

Orecchiette alla ricotta, salvia & agrumi

Puglia is a wonderful region in Italy.  After just returning from a week of gastro-indulgence between Bari and Taranto I have brought back some pasta, oranges, oil and wine and I’m keen to continue this style of food and flavours for now at least.  But – saying that, I need to cut back on the quantity and calories and this pasta dish does it.

All the ingredients used in this pasta dish (including the pasta) is typical of this area.  We hiked along the gravines of Massafra and the wild shrubs of sage, thyme and rosemary were brushing against our clothes, the scent permeating and following us on our trip.  ( I couldn’t help to think about how some wild boar or goat would taste that could be grazing on these).

It is a light and delicate pasta recipe, not as robust as what is typical from this area.  The ricotta is added at the last minute so the dish will not be hot, for me it suits the sunny days that are approaching this spring.

This is very quick and simple.  Serves 2.

3 handfuls of orrechiette, 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 7 fresh or dried sage leaves crumbled or torn, finely grated rind of half a lemon and orange *, a few shakes of dried chili flakes,  2 tablespoon of ricotta, a few fresh fennel fonds finely chopped (optional, but highly recommended – I added these half way through my meal and I loved it)

Prepare the water for the pasta and meanwhile over low heat, put the oil in a frypan with the sage, citrus rind and chilli.  Allow to slowly heat up.  The oils of the citrus and sage will infuse the olive oil.  After 5 minutes, turn off and read a book or something while you wait for the pasta to be al dente.

When the pasta is pronto, drain it very well (otherwise the oil wont stick to the pasta and it will be a watery oily mess) add the pasta to the oil and mix well so it coats the pasta.  Add the ricotta too and mix.  Serve on plates and finish with the fennel tips.

* grating citrus fruits for pasta requires a very fine grater for the best results.  Chunky bits of lemon or orange rind isn’t pleasant for most.  A fine microplane grater works best, or a zester followed by some crafty knifework to get the pieces tiny will work if you’ve got the patience.  Also make sure that when you grate you don’t grate in one place for too long.  The white pith is bitter!

Filed under: In 15 minutes, Puglia, Recipes , lemon, orange, orecchiette, quick, ricotta, sage, vegetarian

Spiced Poor Mans Pasta

My latest pasta addiction is a breadcrumb and anchovy based “sauce”.  Yes – anchovy.  But don’t turn away to the next blog because of the A – word.  If its not quite your thing, but you’re a bit adventurous,  this is a good way to introduce them into your diet.  I am speaking from experience here.  They are to be smashed up, so you don’t get the texture of them which is major turn off for some.  It fits the not-quite-winter-yet-not-quite-spring flavouring, takes little effort and most of the ingredients you can have on hand.   So get your salted pot boiling, add your pasta of choice  and follow the rest.   Will serve 2.

Add a good glug of extra virgin olive oil, a smashed garlic clove, some chilli flakes, a sliced anchovy and finely diced shallots into a fry pan.  Saute over a medium heat until shallots are translucent.  Add a third of a cup of breadcrumbs and allow the oil to soak through.  On a medium heat the breadcrumbs shouldn’t burn but become crisp.  Finely grate the rind of half a lemon and add it at the last minute with a handful of torn rocket (if the rocket/arugula is too long, the dining elegance factor will be disrupted while trying to manoeuvre the long stems into the mouth).  The rocket only needs to go in at the last minute to wilt and become a vibrant green.

Drain the pasta well before adding it to the breadcrumbs.  Otherwise the crispy breadcrumbs will become too soggy. The contrast in texture of the crispy breadcrumb against the soft pasta is all part of the attraction with this dish.  Add a good serving of  Parmigiano Reggiano cheese or another hard cheese and have the option of adding more olive oil available.

Filed under: In 15 minutes, Recipes , anchovies, breadcrumbs, garlic, lemon, rocket, shallots

Linguine algli Zucchini

If I was forced to choose a favourite pasta shape, it is possible that the winner would be linguine. Then it would also get double points for either being fresh or wholemeal. The texture of fresh pasta is too good, being all unctuous and slippery, while the integrale (wholemeal) has more bite and strength to it. Then to add one of my favourite vegetables and it is like pole-dancing. The zucchini needs to be cut into thin strips to mimic the pasta. This will ready in no time. Maximum 3 minutes to cook the vegetables. I like my vegetables to be al dente. However if I am cooking integrale linguine, I would cook the vegetables a little longer to make them softer. Conversely, with fresh pasta I would cook a fraction under al dente. The contrasting texture finishes it off superbly.

Serves 2

Linguine, decent handful

Olive oil

Zucchini, 2 pieces 4 cms long

Red onion, half

Garlic, 1 clove

Anchovy, 1 (optional  vegetarian)

Lemon rind of half lemon

Chilli

Herbs such as chives, basil, parsley

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, and when ready, add the pasta and cook according to the timing suggested on the packet.

To prepare the sauce, slice onion length ways and the zucchini into thin strips. Finely dice the garlic (or grate with a microplane). Add the oil, garlic and anchovy to the saucepan. After a minute, add the onion and zucchini. After two minutes, depending on the thickness of the vegetables, it should be ready.  Add the herbs, chilli and lemon rind. Stir through and rest until the pasta is ready. After the pasta has drained, mix the vegetables and pasta well. Serve separately grated parmesan.

Filed under: In 15 minutes, Recipes , anchovies, lemon, linguine, pasta, vegetarian, wholemeal pasta, zucchini

Orecchiette with salsiccia, radicchio, ricotta & lemon

Well I have been dreaming about this pasta for the past 2 days. I don’t know if that is a good thing to admit or not. I’ve been adding and deleting ingredients in my head as I walk around town. Finally I finished off the shopping this morning so I could indulge in my fantasy for lunch.

In Bra, we have our own type of salsiccia (sausage) that is made with the local breed of cow and often eaten raw. It is deliciously sexy and I like to prepare it as the french steak tartare. For this pasta, I cooked half briefly and left the other half raw. Both were gorgeous.The lemon, please do not omit. You will be doing yourself a great disservice by leaving it out or substituting it with the fake concentrate. This recipe will easily serve 1-2 people. Just note the quantity of pasta per person. Orecchiette means “little ears” and is a traditional pasta from Puglia in the south.

Extra virgin olive oil 1 good splashing and more to serve

Garlic 1 clove

Salsiccia 70g, skin removed

Capers 4, if salted wash clean

Radicchio 2 leaves, sliced into small bite sized pieces

Ricotta 70g, the freshest you can find or substitute fresh goats cheese

Lemon juice & peel of half a lemon

Thyme and basil, washed

Orechiette 70g per person

This all really happens very quickly. By the time you have brought the salted water to the boil and you are ready to add the pasta, the prep for everything else is also done. Just some notes on the preparation. To have the best garlic and lemon, I recommend using a fine grade microplane. They grate wonderfully, saving so much time and it means no big garlic bits or likewise with the lemon peel. However, assuming you haven’t just rushed off to purchase one, chop both the garlic and lemon peel as finely as you can. With the lemon peel, avoid white pith as this is unpleasantly bitter.

Cook the pasta according to the instructions and suggested timing. When there is 3 minutes left, be ready to start cooking the sausage. Heat the oil and garlic in a frypan. When hot, add the sausage and capers. The radicchio will change colour with cooking, so to keep some of the vibrant purple, add in the final 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice.

The pasta should be al dente by now, so drain well, especially for this dish.  Mix together the sausage “sauce” and pasta in the best suited frying pan/pot.  Stir well and then add the ricotta and lemon peel. Serve onto plates and top with the herbs and extra olive oil.

Filed under: In 15 minutes, Puglia, Recipes , lemon, orecchiette, pasta, radicchio, recipe, salsiccia