Ricotta Spinach Patties With Lemon Yogurt Sauce Food

LEMON RICOTTA PASTA & SPINACH

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, make the ricotta sauce.
• In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon zest and juice. Season with 1/4 tsp of salt and a good pinch of pepper.
• Stir until well combined, taste and make sure you're happy with the seasoning.
• In the last minute of the pasta's cooking time, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then and add spinach to the pot. Stir well and push the leaves down to submerge them in water.
• After 1 minute, drain and return pasta and spinach to the same pot.
• Add the ricotta sauce and part of the reserved cooking water. Stir well to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce, add more cooking water as needed, you want a smooth and creamy texture.
• Serve immediately and garnish with grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and lemon wedges if desired (for extra freshly squeezed juice, but I leave it optional). Plus, I love adding a good pinch of red pepper flakes, you might give it a go. Enjoy!

SPINACH & RICOTTA PENNE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta following pack instructions until al dente, about 12 mins.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat and cook the garlic and leeks for 5 mins, stirring until soft. Add the spinach, cover and cook for 3 mins more until wilted. Stir well.
• Mix the ricotta with the milk, cheese and a grating of nutmeg. Drain the pasta (reserving a mugful of the water), and add it to the veg. Pour over the ricotta mixture and toss well to combine. Add 3-4 tbsp of the reserved pasta water to loosen a little, then serve.

RICOTTA CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Spinach -- In a large saute pan, heat to medium heat and add the olive oil. Saute the shallot and garlic until tender, just a couple of minutes. Then add in the spinach. I know if looks like a lot, but it reduces very quickly. Just cook until all the spinach is wilted.
• Sauce -- As the spinach cooks, add the ricotta, cream, parmesan, nutmeg to a blender or small food processor and blend until creamy.
• Finish -- Just finish the dish by adding in the ricotta, salt and pepper and cook on medium heat until the cheese is heated through.
• Serve -- Plate up and enjoy. A little bit lighter version, but a great flavor with the onion and garlic.

ONE-POT PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND LEMON

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• In the same pot, make the sauce: Add the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir until well combined.
• Add 1/2 cup pasta water to the sauce and stir until smooth. Add the pasta and continue to stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth sauce.
• Divide the pasta among bowls and top with some of the sauce that's pooled at the bottom of the pot. Garnish with grated Parmesan, black pepper, red-pepper flakes and basil, if using.

SPINACH AND RICOTTA CHEESE SAUCE FOR PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion on a gentle heat until soft but not browned.
• Add the thyme, garlic (if using) and spinach.
• Continue to cook on low heat until the spinach leaves have wilted, approximately 2-3 minutes. If you're spinach was very wet and there is a lot of water in the pan, drain some off otherwise the sauce will be very runny. If you're not sure drain it into a separate bowl you can always add some later if you feel it's too thick.
• Add the ricotta cheese and mix, using a wooden spoon, until it forms a smooth sauce.
• Season, using nutmeg (I use more than stated above, but then I really like nutmeg), salt, freshly ground pepper and powdered vegetable stock to taste.
• Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and serve straight away on your favourite pasta.

RICOTTA-SPINACH PATTIES WITH LEMON YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Using a large bowl, combine all ingredients until well blended.
• Divide mixture into 16 balls and slightly flatten each one to form patties - approx. 1/2 inch thick.
• Heat a lightly oiled NON STICK skillet and cook patties until they are firm and browned on both sides - approx. 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile make dipping sauce by combining all ingredients until well blended.