Shell Pasta with Tomato and Buffalo Ricotta

Home cooking to me is very simple but sometime can be even simpler. This pasta is probably as easy to make as a plain salad. I also did it out of necessity because my ricotta was about to expire.

You’ll need:

·      A can of chopped tomatoes

·      One cloves of garlic

·      Extra virgin olive oil

·      A pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar

·      Buffalo ricotta

·      Fresh Basil

How to make it

While the water prepare to boil, Oil a frying pan and crush a clove of garlic in it. When the oil starts sizzling, pour the can of tomato and season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar to help to lessen the acidity of the tomato.

Gently cook the sauce at a low temperature. The more you cook the better it is. I normally cook the sauce for at least 20 minutes. Once the pasta is cook, pour it into the saucepan and let the pasta absorb the flavors. Sprinkle some fresh basil and the ricotta.

Penne with Grilled Red Pepper, Cherry Tomatoes and a sprinkle of Buffalo Ricotta

I love grilled vegetables. It is definitely the most awesome way to cook vegetable. They keep all the flavors, they became perfectly tender and they absorb every extra flavor that you can possibly add. I normally grilled vegetable as a side dish for fish and meat but today I tried something new. I made pasta with grilled vegetables and it turned out to be super mega tasty.

For 2 people you’ll need:

·   1 red pepper

·  Cherry tomatoes

·  1 clove of garlic

·  Salt and extra virgin olive oil

·  Fresh Basil

·  170 g of penne

How to do it:

Preheat the hoven at 180°C

Quarter the red pepper and place it skin-side-down in a baking tray that is dip enough to collect the juice of the vegetable with the cherry tomatoes. Season the vegetable with some chopped garlic, Olive Oil and Salt and bake it for 30/40 minutes.

When the Pepper and the Tomatoes are roasted you can cook the penne in salty boiling water. In the same pot that you have used to cook the pasta, pour the vegetable with their juice and let the pasta soak every drop of the vegetable juice. Serve it with crumble of Buffalo Ricotta and fresh Basil

Cake of the Day: Ricotta and Chocolate Cheesecake

Probably the best way to start your week!.

I tried this cake for the first time during a Christmas party at my friend Giori’s house. My friend Chiara is the mind behind this treat.  It is something beyond goodness.

 

For the Base:

·      150 g of dry biscuits

·      100g of butter

For the filling:

·      3 Yokes

·      150 g of Sugar

·      3 Spoons of Flour

·      200 g of Ricotta ( Chiara uses Robiola but unfortunately I live in Glasgow, where Robiola doesn't exist...

·      Few drops of Vanilla Extract or a small bag of Vanillin

·      200 g of Dark Chocolate

·      500 ml of Single cream

·      3 whipped eggs white

How to make it:

Preheat the oven at 180 °C

In a medium bowl, mix the biscuits crumbs with melted butter. Press the mix into the bottom of a springform pan or play with different shapes, like I did,  and choose a smaller cupcake pan.

In a mixing Bowl add the ingredients for the filling, one at the time. Make sure that you beat every ingredient very energetically so that the mix is nice and smooth.

Pour the Filling in the pan and bake it for 40 minutes. Every oven is different so it might take longer, however, when there is a brown crust on top, it is normally ready!

FYI: If you are Gluten Intolerant or you prefer something less caloric, you can still eat it. Just put gluten-free biscuits and Rice flour. It is still Tasty!!!!