ricotta salata

This pesto pasta recipe is the solution for any leftover hardy green, lettuce, or herb you don’t know what to do with. Cleaning out your fridge has never been so rewarding!

Fridge-Dive Pesto Pasta

½ red onion, quartered through root end

(lightly packed) torn mixed greens and tender herbs

Kosher salt

sesame seeds,

olive oil;

garlic cloves, smashed

unsalted butter

Bon Appétit

Cook onion and mixed greens and herbs in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 2 minutes. Using a spider or tongs, transfer to a bowl of ice water and swish around in the water to cool down as quickly as possible (this helps retain the bright color). Drain and gently squeeze to remove excess liquid, then press between a double layer of paper towels to remove as much remaining liquid as possible. Reserve pot with greens cooking liquid.

Process ¼ cup sesame seeds in a food processor until finely ground. Add onion and greens mixture and ¼ cup ricotta salata and process until a coarse paste forms. With motor running, stream in 3 Tbsp. oil and process, adding water by the tablespoonful if needed to thin, until pesto is very smooth.

Heat ¼ cup oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add pesto and cook, stirring, until sauce looks like most of the moisture has been cooked out, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, bring reserved pot of greens cooking liquid to a boil and cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions.

Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with pesto and add ½ cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing, until each strand of pasta is coated. Remove from heat, add butter, and toss to combine.

Divide pasta among bowls. Top with more sesame seeds and remaining ¼ cup ricotta salata and drizzle with oil.

Le lasagne alla Norma sono un primo piatto dal gusto unico che si ispira alla tradizionale pasta alla Norma siciliana.

Lasagne alla Norma

Lasagne all'uovo 250 g

Pomodori pelati 1 kg

Melanzane 500 g

spicchio

Basilico 6 foglie

Ricotta salata q.b.

Sale fino 1 pizzico

Olio extravergine d'oliva q.b.

Pepe nero q.b.

Ricotta vaccina 1 kg

Latte intero 200 ml

Noce moscata q.b.

Sale fino q.b.

https://banzai-pmd-meride-tv.akamaized.net/amets/giallozafferano/2013/12/g7d1b5/g7d1b5.mp4

Le lasagne alla Norma sono un primo piatto dal gusto unico che si ispira alla tradizionale pasta alla Norma siciliana con melanzane e ricotta salata

Ricotta salata—ricotta's saltier cousin—adds a sharp tang to this summer pasta dish.

Penne with Roasted Summer Vegetables and Ricotta Salata

eggplant,

zucchini,

pt. grape tomatoes, halved

olive oil

kosher salt

black pepper

penne pasta

c. grated ricotta salata,

c. finely chopped fresh basil,

Couldn’t find ricotta salata at the store, so I made it with regular ricotta. Mine turned out yummy, but very mild. There may have been a stronger flavor if I had the correct cheese. The roasted veggies did turn out perfectly.

Mmmm that was good. I used feta instead of ricotta salata and carrots instead of eggplant because that's what I had on hand but it was very good!

Uno dei piatti siciliani più conosciuti, specialità Catanese omaggio all'opera "Norma" di Vincenzo Bellini: la pasta alla Norma è un'istituzione!

Pasta alla Norma

Sedani Rigati 320 g

Ricotta salata 200 g

Olio extravergine d'oliva 1 filo

spicchi

Pomodori ramati 850 g

Basilico fresco 10 g

https://banzai-pmd-meride-tv.akamaized.net/amets/giallozafferano/2020/07/k2dxxs/k2dxxs.mp4

Don’t overdo it when seasoning the egg whites; the lack of fat will allow you to taste the salt that much more.

Egg White Chalupa

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

yellow or red bell pepper (or half of each), seeded, finely chopped

red onion, finely chopped

jalapeño, seeded, finely chopped

garlic cloves, sliced

black beans, rinsed, drained

chicken broth

cilantro

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Vegetable oil (for frying; about ½ cup)

corn tortillas

unsalted butter, divided

sour cream

iceberg lettuce

Hot sauce (for drizzling)

ricotta salata (about ⅓ cup)

½ avocado, sliced

cilantro leaves

Heat butter in a large pot over medium. Add bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft, 10–12 minutes. Add beans and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half and thickened, 20–25 minutes. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Pour oil into a small skillet to come ¼" up the sides. Heat over medium-high until very hot. Working one at a time, fry tortillas until lightly browned and very crisp, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. When butter begins to foam, add 3 egg whites and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula and forming a compact bundle, until whites are set but still moist, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining 1 Tbsp. butter and 3 egg whites.

Divide sour cream between tortillas. Top with ½ cup bean mixture, followed by lettuce, egg whites, a drizzle of hot sauce, cheese, avocado, and cilantro.

I have always loved eggplant parmigiana, but the first time I tried preparing it at home, I found the standard recipe daunting: too much frying and too much cheese. I've been simplifying it ever since. This recipe is more pared-down than most. I baked the eggplants with a simple tomato, eggplant and garlic topping bolstered with fragrant herbs. I used ricotta salata, but other cheeses, including shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano, fontina or mild pecorino, would be fine. Though the dish can be served hot from the oven, I prefer to let it cool somewhat, to let the flavors bloom. If made well in advance but not refrigerated, it can be reheated in a 300-degree oven for 20 minutes. And it makes for a handsome and delicious buffet dish.

Eggplant Baked With Tomatoes and Ricotta Salata

eggplants,

Salt and black pepper

Serrano ham

garlic, minced

oregano leaves

tomatoes

Espelette pepper

ricotta salata, finely diced

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use a little of the oil to brush the bottom of an oblong baking dish, like a lasagna pan, 9 by 13 inches. Snip off any stems from the eggplants but keep the leaves on. Quarter the eggplants vertically and place them skin side down in the baking dish. Brush the cut sides with oil, about a tablespoon. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven, but keep oven on. Place the eggplant quarters on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut away the flesh, quite close to the skin. Dice the flesh, then chop it fine, by hand or in a food processor. But don't let it become a purée.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy skillet. Add the ham and sauté on medium until it barely starts to brown. Add the garlic and oregano, sauté another 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Cook on medium-high until any juices from the tomatoes begin to reduce, about 5 minutes. Stir in the eggplant. Season with salt, black pepper and Espelette. Stir in 1/2 tablespoon of the remaining oil.

Top the eggplant skins with this mixture, mounding it up a bit. Return eggplants to the baking dish. Top each with the cheese and drizzle with remaining oil. Bake 20 minutes, until eggplants start to sizzle and cheese has softened – it won’t melt. Serve at once or let cool and serve at room temperature.

This is down-home, primal Sicilian cooking, using inexpensive and commonly available ingredients: olive oil, eggplant, tomato and pasta. A showering of grated ricotta salata and toasted bread crumbs adorns this humble yet justly famous dish. The Sicilian composer Vincenzo Bellini adored it with such a passion that it was eventually named after his 19th-century opera "Norma" — or so goes the story.

Classic Pasta alla Norma

onion,

Salt and pepper

garlic cloves,

red pepper

basil

eggplants

pasta,

bread crumbs,

Make a quick tomato sauce: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.

Stir in garlic, red pepper and basil leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let sauce simmer gently for 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside. (Sauce may be prepared up to 2 days in advance.)

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Turn heat to low and cover pot until it’s time to cook the pasta.

Put a wide cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil to coat surface of pan. When oil is wavy, test by adding a cube of eggplant. It should begin to sizzle and brown immediately. Fill the pan with a single layer of eggplant cubes. Turn eggplant with a spatula or tongs and brown nicely on all sides. Lower heat as necessary to maintain an even temperature; if the pan is too hot, the eggplant will burn.

Remove cooked eggplant to a plate and continue to fry remaining eggplant in batches, adding more oil as necessary. Season finished eggplant with salt and pepper. (Alternatively, roast the eggplant on a baking sheet at 400 degrees, lightly drizzled with oil, until cooked and nicely browned, about 20 minutes.)

To assemble and serve, boil pasta until al dente, leaving it a little firmer than normal. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer. Add eggplant to sauce and gently stir to combine. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and add to sauce. Using 2 wooden spoons or tongs, toss pasta and sauce, and let cook 1 minute more. Thin sauce if necessary with a little pasta cooking water.

Transfer to a warmed wide pasta bowl. Sprinkle with grated ricotta salata and bread crumbs. Garnish with torn or whole basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

Let your summer eggplant and basil shine in this classic Sicilian pasta.

Pasta Alla Norma

extra-virgin olive oil

Japanese

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste

Tbsp. oregano

lb. tubular pasta (such as calamarata or rigatoni)

ricotta salata, shaved

Torn basil leaves (for serving)

A classic Sicilian dish, pasta alla Norma is a great way to use up an excess of two summer stars: eggplant and fresh basil. Cooked down until lightly browned on the outside and creamy in the center, the eggplant cubes are tossed into a simple tomato sauce with pasta, then finished with salty ricotta salata cheese and a showering of basil for herby freshness. Any pasta shape works here, but we like thicker tubular shapes like calamarata or rigatoni—their hollow centers provide ample space for the sauce to hide.
The Norma in the dish’s title is the titular protagonist of an Italian opera by Vincenzo Bellini, which, like the pasta named for it, is notable for its lyric beauty. But, if you have to adjust those notes a bit (we’re talking about the pasta alla Norma recipe now), it’s pretty forgiving. Ricotta salata is the dried-out cousin of plain old milky ricotta—but don’t sub in that fresher cheese if you can’t find it. Instead, look to other dry, hard cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino Romano. The three have vastly different flavors, but they’ll work just as well in this pasta dish.

Dump one 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes with juices into a medium bowl; crush tomatoes with your hands. Set aside.

Heat ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Add 1 lb. Japanese or globe eggplant, cut into ½" pieces, and sprinkle with 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is softened and golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in same pot over medium-high. Cook 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, and ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 3 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste and cook, stirring, until darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped oregano, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, and reserved tomatoes. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Return eggplant to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is completely tender and flavors have melded, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook 1 lb. tubular pasta (such as calamarata or rigatoni) in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Add pasta and ½ cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce. Cook, stirring often and adding more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until sauce is thickened and coats pasta, about 2 minutes.

Divide pasta among shallow bowls. Top with 4 oz. ricotta salata, shaved, dividing evenly, and torn basil leaves. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Make the rice before you leave, and pack the vinaigrette in a little jar on the side. You'll thank us, Scout's honor.

Herby Black Rice Salad with Radishes and Ricotta Salata

Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

black rice

mixed radishes, sliced, quartered

ricotta salata (salted dry ricotta), thinly sliced

almonds

dill

chives

Epicurious

Combine oil and vinegar in a small airtight container; cover, and shake well. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine rice and 1 3/4 cups water in a medium saucepan; season with salt. Bring to a boil on camp stove over high. Reduce heat, cover saucepan, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 45–50 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff rice, and let sit, covered, 10 minutes. Let cool.

Just before serving, toss rice and radishes with dressing in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add ricotta salata, almonds, dill, and chives and toss.

Vinaigrette can be made 3 days ahead; chill.

This quick, easy pasta dish takes as long as it takes to cook the pasta itself. It is a savory combination of sweet green peas with crisp onions and bacon.

Penne Pasta, Peas and Bacon

yellow onion

peas

bacon

penne pasta ()

heavy cream

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Halfway thru cooking the pasta,  add the frozen peas to the water. Refer to package cooking instructions minus 1 minute so the penne pasta will be at dente.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add the olive oil over medium-high, and add the finely diced onions and the bacon. Cook until the bacon and onions are crisp but not burned. 

Drain the pasta and peas and add them to the onion bacon mixture. Lower the heat to medium and add the heavy cream.

Stir well, add more cream if needed and serve immediately.

Bacon truly makes everything better! This recipe was packed with flavor and I loved the texture the peas added. Thanks for sharing this goodness!

This is awesome, the pasta is great and the sauce that envelopes it is superb it has its gentleness that comes together with the texture of both the peas and pasta.

This recipe is my new favorite pasta dinner! I'm loving the crispy onions, bacon and peas together with the pasta, such a comfort food pasta!

Delicious!!!!  Will definitely make again.  I did use some white wine to deglaze the pan after cooking the bacon and onions.  Didn’t want all those good bits to go to waste.  Thanks for the great recipe.

Great recipe and easy to use other ingredients, I have used ham or Italian sausage removed from casings and fried instead of bacon..I think you could add canned tuna towards the end....I use 1/2 &amp;1/2...it is rich enough when you add the the cheese...I have used different pasta as well...fettucini...or spaghetti broken in 1/2.  Sometimes I add a few red pepper flakes..for spice...This is an easy recipe...and so delicious . Do try thus!

i have been making a variation of this for years.  Instead of bacon I brown i pound of breakfast sausage, and instead of cream, i use 1  1/4 cup water and 1 chicken boullion cube and top it with Parmesan cheese.  I am excited to try your version.

Hello! I just wanted to let you know that your recipe was delicious. It was the first recipe that I cooked on my new large skillet, and I was so happy with how it turned out. I searched the internet for a pasta or mac recipe, and I was not disappointed when I found yours. My family and I loved it so much that I’m planning to make it again on Christmas Eve. I’m even going to add it to my list of favorite recipes! 😊

Whole-wheat pasta is a flavorful alternative to pasta made from white flour. The tan color is particularly attractive when set off by cheese-in this case ricotta salata or feta.

Whole-Wheat Pasta Salad with Grilled Zucchini and Olives

red onion,

red-wine vinegar

olive oil (preferabley extra-virgin) plus additional for brushing zucchini

whole-wheat penne or other tubular pasta

ricotta salata or feta cheese, diced

basil leaves

In a large bowl gently stir together tomatoes, onion, garlic paste, vinegar, and 1/4 cup oil

Brush one side of zucchini slices lightly with additional oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderate heat until hot and grill zucchini, oiled sides down, in batches, brushing tops with more oil before turning, 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until just tender but not soft. Transfer zucchini as grilled to a small bowl.

In a kettle of salted boiling water cook pasta until just tender and drain well. Add hot pasta to tomato mixture and toss well. Cool pasta slightly and stir in zucchini, olives, cheese, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Pasta may be made 4 hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature.

Top 11 ricotta salata recipes from across the web

The most viewed ricotta salata recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Fridge-Dive Pesto Pasta

Lasagne alla Norma

Penne with Roasted Summer Vegetable...

Pasta alla Norma

Egg White Chalupa

Eggplant Baked With Tomatoes and Ri...

Classic Pasta alla Norma

Pasta Alla Norma

Herby Black Rice Salad with Radishe...

Penne Pasta, Peas and Bacon

Whole-Wheat Pasta Salad with Grille...

Top 11 ricotta salata recipes from across the web

The most viewed ricotta salata recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Fridge-Dive Pesto Pasta

Lasagne alla Norma

Penne with Roasted Summer Vegetable...

Pasta alla Norma

Egg White Chalupa

Eggplant Baked With Tomatoes and Ri...

Classic Pasta alla Norma

Pasta Alla Norma

Herby Black Rice Salad with Radishe...

Penne Pasta, Peas and Bacon

Whole-Wheat Pasta Salad with Grille...

The most viewed ricotta salata recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine