Lemon-Ricottone Pasta with Spinach
This light and luscious pasta would be fabulous served alongside a seared pork chop this week.
Ingredients:
½ pound pasta such as linguine or fettuccine
1 cup Bellsong ricottone cheese
8 ounces loose leaf spinach, washed
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1 lemon, zest and juice
3 lemon wedges, to serve
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 garlic clove, grated or pressed
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, make the ricotta sauce.
2. In a medium bowl, combine ricottone, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon zest and juice. Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good pinch of pepper. Stir until well combined, taste and make sure you’re happy with the seasoning.
3. In the last minute of the pasta’s cooking time, reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then add spinach to the pot. Stir well and push the leaves down to submerge them in water.
4. After 1 minute, drain and return pasta and spinach to the same pot. Add the ricottone 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.
Sunday Supper Recipes
In the tradition of our own Nonna Pat’s long-standing Sunday suppers, this week’s box includes all the fixings for a cozy, Italian-inspired meal to share with your nearest and dearest—from fresh bucatini and our signature marinara sauce to Skagit River Ranch Italian sausage and an amazing trio of cheeses crafted by our own Bellsong Creamery! Start things off with a stunning cheese plate; side dish-worthy produce such as rapini, leeks, and fava shoots, plus beautiful winter citrus, housemade eggplant caponata, and farm-fresh eggs, also help to round out this robust meal.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Italian Sausage-Lentil Soup with Leeks
This longtime family recipe is a winning New Year’s dish. Fun fact: Lentils are believed to bring good luck and prosperity throughout the new year because they resemble coins!
Winter Citrus & Fava Shoot Salad
This crisp, citrus-kissed salad is both bold in flavor and beautiful in presentation.
Rapini with Buttered Leeks
Sublime herb- and cheese-kissed crumbs finish these sautéed greens.
Frizzled Leeks
These crispy leeks are a wonderful garnish for salads and soups.
Preserved Meyer Lemons
Use these preserves in salads or stews, or whisk the pulp into a salad dressing or a Bloody Mary.
Meyer Lemon-Lime Curd
Serve this classic curd from Gourmet magazine alongside slices of pound cake for an easy and elegant dessert!
Fresh & Foraged Recipes
This week’s box sings of both the garden and the forest as it offers up freshly-harvested sweet peppers, heirloom tomatoes, radicchio and Tropea onions, as well as an array of earthy, locally-foraged mushrooms, true Northwest favorites. Enjoy these tastes of early fall alongside freshly-made semolina pappardelle pasta, Pain au Levain bread and eggs from our heritage breed hens, as well as fragrant garden-grown herbs like sage, garlic, and parsley, and crisp salad greens—it’s all oh-so flavorful and oh-so fresh.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Fresh Pappardelle with Sautéed Fall Mushrooms
Also rich with chicken stock and herbs, this pasta beautifully captures the flavors of mellow, earthy mushrooms.
Wild Mushroom Frittata
This lovely frittata can be easily served for brunch, lunch, or dinner; you choose!
Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
These roasted beauties are incredibly sweet and juicy.
Pepper, Fennel & Onion Relish
Jimmy Nardello peppers lend themselves well to this classic trio—an excellent condiment-style topping for sandwiches, scrambled eggs or even crostini!
Tropea Onion Confit
This buttery-sweet topping is wonderful in sandwiches or even atop crackers and crostini.
Pappardelle Pasta with Sautéed Fall Mushrooms
Also rich with chicken stock and herbs, this pasta beautifully captures the flavors of mellow, earthy mushrooms.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh pappardelle
4 cups mixed mushrooms, washed and patted dry
¼ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup combined fresh chopped parsley, sage and thyme
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
¼ cup grated Grana-style cheese
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drop in pasta noodles and cook until al dente, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and rinse, reserving ½ cup of the starchy cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil over medium heat, stirring to combine. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are soft and tender and then add chicken stock and cook until reduced slightly, another 3-4 minutes. Add in fresh herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Add in the drained pasta and toss. Add in reserved 1 tablespoon of butter and grated cheese, and mix to distribute. If pasta seems dry, add in reserved cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until adequately moist.
