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ricotta

Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta

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Recipe adapted from The Spruce Eats, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 6

Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 12 ounces of pasta*
● 2 teaspoons olive oil
● ½ cup onion*, minced
● 2 garlic cloves*, minced
● 10 ounces fresh spinach*, roughly chopped
● 1-ounce fresh basil, chopped
● 1 cup ricotta cheese*
● ¼ cup milk*
● freshly ground pepper
● 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese or Pecorino cheese

Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until onions are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn’t brown.
3. Add spinach and basil to the skillet and stir until wilted.
4. Add ricotta cheese and milk to skillet and stir well.
5. Drain pasta, reserving ¼ cup or so of the cooking water.
6. Combine cooked pasta and ricotta mixture in a large bowl. If too thick, add a bit of the cooking water to the mixture.
7. Serve with freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon of cheese per serving.

Farmers’ Market Tomato Tart

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Adapted from the recipe by America’s Test Kitchen, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Tart shell:
● 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
● 1 Tablespoon sugar
● ½ teaspoon salt
● 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter*, cut into ¼ inch pieces and chilled
● 3 Tablespoons ice water

Tomato filling:
● 3 tomatoes*, cored and sliced ¼ inch thick
● salt and pepper
● 3 Tablespoons olive oil*
● 1 garlic clove*, minced
● ½ cup Parmesan cheese*, grated
● ½ cup ricotta cheese*
● ¼ cup mozzarella cheese*
● 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil*

Instructions

Tart shell:

  1. Process flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor until combined. Scatter butter pieces over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 15 pulses. Add 2 Tablespoons ice water and continue to process until large clumps of dough form, about 5 seconds. If the dough doesn’t clump, add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of water. Incorporate with 4 pulses.
  2. Sprinkle walnut-size clumps of dough evenly into a 9-inch tart pan. Working outward from center, press dough into even layer, sealing cracks. Working around edges, press dough firmly into corners of the pan with fingers. Press dough up sides and into fluted ridges. Smooth using the palm of your hand.
  3. Place plastic on top of the dough. Place tart pan on a large plate and in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
  4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet. Press double layer of aluminum foil into the frozen tart shell and over edges, fill with pie weights. Bake until golden brown and set, around 30 minutes. Rotate halfway through. Remove foil and weights and allow to cool on wire rack.

Tomato filling:

  1. Spread tomatoes out over several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and let drain for 30 minutes.
  2. Combine 2 Tablespoons oil and garlic in a small bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine Parmesan, ricotta, mozzarella, and remaining 1 Tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread ricotta mixture evenly over the bottom of the tart shell. Blot tomatoes dry with paper towels. Shingle the tomatoes over the ricotta in circles. Drizzle with garlic oil mixture.
  5. Bake on rimmed baking sheet until bubbling and tomatoes are slightly wilted, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate halfway through baking.
  6. Let cool on a sheet pan for 10 minutes or longer. Sprinkle with basil before serving.
Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett