Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad

Our family loves tomatoes! Especially my husband!

Heirloom tomatoes that ripen is the summer sun, big and juicy 

and so delicious, nothing compares. 

Now top those large ripe slices with the creamiest of cheeses, 

the burrata!

Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, sprinkle a bit of flaky salt, 

and top with fresh basil.

To me there is nothing that says Summer, quite like this salad!

            As Always,
            Enjoy

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Fabulous summer pasta dish! Delicious with fish or chicken.

Quick to prepare, which makes it so nice for a summer evening.

I served this pasta with my lemon Salmon recipe. It was so refreshing 

and light. The type of meal we all enjoy in the summer. 

             As Always,
             Enjoy!

            INGREDIENTS

16 oz. short pasta (like fusilli)

4 cups fresh spinach, rough chopped

1 cup ricotta cheese

4 Tbsp. lemon pesto

1/2 lemon juiced

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Always add salt to your cooking water to flavor the pasta.  I always prefer my past Al Dente. Save about 1/2 cup of the pasta water for later use if necessary.  Add the cooked pasta to a large bowl.  Top with the remaining ingredients and toss well.  If desired add some of the cooked pasta water or a little olive oil if you prefer the pasta a bit more saucy. Optional to top with grated pecorino romano cheese.

LEMON PESTO

1whole lemon

juice of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp. pine nuts

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese grated

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Use a strong powered blender.  Trim ends off of lemon, cut into small pieces, removing seeds and any tough center membrane. Place whole lemon pieces in blender along with remaining ingredients except for the olive oil.  Blend until pureed.  Slowly add the olive oil with the motor running to emulsify the mixture.  

This quantity is about twice the amount you will need for the pasta dish.  Freeze the remaining quantity for future use.

             
 

Potato Gnocchi

Puffy, delicate, cloud like gnocchi.

Once boiled, gently toss in a creamy gorgonzola sauce!

Once your gnocchi are shaped leave them out on a tray

until ready to cook in a pot of low boiling water. 

My husband loves gnocchi!  Ones that are light and fluffy!

There are some that can be heavy as bricks and that is not what you want 

when making these little dumplings.  The key to light gnocchi is only to add 

enough flour to bring your potato and egg all together. 

It is always best to add the flour in small amounts instead of all at once.

As Always,

ENJOY!

 

Swedish Cardamom Rolls

So delicious for any  holiday or 

special weekend gathering.

All lined up, out of the oven cooling.

Can't wait to take a bite! 

Topped with homemade pearl sugar.

Sheet pans in the oven and ready to bake!

This recipe made over 2 dozen rolls!

All the filled dough, cut and ready to twist.

Once the dough is filled and folded, 

use a pizza wheel to cut strips that will be twisted.

Once dough is rolled out. Spread with the 

cinnamon and cardamom filling and dot 

with raisins.  I used golden raisins.

Roll your sweet dough out to make a very

large rectangle. 

So much fun to make these Swedish treats, even better to eat them!

With this many rolls, you can put some in the freezer or share

some with friends!

As Always, 

ENJOY!

 

Homemade Orecchetti

Homemade pasta of any shape is so delicious

tossed simply with tomatoes!

Trays of pasta read to cook

It is so gratifying watching the tray fill 

with all the "little ears"

Orecchetti is probably my number one favorite shape 

to make and to eat!!

As Always,

ENJOY!

 

Apple Varieties

 This is probably one of my favorite salads!  I know I have shared many posts

with this same combination.  Beautiful greens, whether they are butterleaf, or baby greens, 

with pungent cheese, toasted nuts(walnut or pecan) and apples or pears. 

How absolutely beautiful though when you can use apples with color that add so much 

visual interest to the salad than just the white color interior normally found in 

apples and pears.

Since apple season is now upon us, it is always so fun to search out the unusual varieties. 

Maybe even go apple picking to find some of the type not in the markets!

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Semolina Bread

 This is just before going in the oven!

This bread is not always easy to find, maybe only in an Italian bakery. 

It used to be more popular, but when you can't find it elsewhere, 

best to just baked it yourself. 

The crumb on this bread is moist, dense and very flavorful. I am a fan of

sesame seeds, so I love that this is very traditional for this bread. 

So delicious for sandwiches or toasted.

As Always,
ENJOY!