Strozzapreti With Mushrooms And Ricotta Food

MUSHROOM RICOTTA TOAST

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook until translucent, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they give off their liquid and are golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add the marjoram, garlic and some salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 1 minute more.
• Meanwhile, add the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice and salt and pepper to taste to a food processor and process until very smooth.
• Spread the whipped ricotta on the toasted bread. Toss the arugula with salt and pepper. Arrange the mushrooms on the ricotta mixture, then top with the arugula.

BAKED MUSHROOMS WITH RICOTTA & PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Choose an ovenproof dish big enough to take all the mushrooms in one layer and generously brush it with 1 tbsp of the oil.
• Trim the mushroom stalks level with their caps, if you need to, then put the mushrooms, rounded cap side down, in the dish. Mix the ricotta, pesto and garlic and spoon into the mushrooms (there's enough to pile it up quite high). Sprinkle over the Parmesan and drizzle over the rest of the oil.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft all the way through and the cheese is just starting to turn golden. If this doesn't happen, put the dish under a preheated grill for a few minutes. If the mushrooms have given off a lot of juice after baking, you can drain some of it off.
• To serve, blob a little pesto on top of each mushroom and scatter with the parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature.