Pasta With Smoked Ricotta Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Crumble sausage into skillet, using a spoon to break it into small pieces. Cook until starting to brown, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes (if using), and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in whole tomatoes and their juice, using a spoon to break them up. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.
• Stir in pasta and 1 cup water and return to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, pluck out the bay leaves, and fold in about a third of the mozzarella.
• Top pasta with remaining mozzarella and dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan, then transfer to oven. Bake until pasta is tender when poked with a fork, and cheese is bubbly and lightly golden, 18 to 22 minutes. (If you'd like a more deeply browned topping, run the pan under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes.) Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Top with basil, plenty of black pepper, and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.

Steps:

• Line a sieve with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Spoon the ricotta onto the cheesecloth and let drain overnight in the refrigerator.
• The next day, line the inside of a stove-top smoker (or wok) with aluminum foil so that it comes at least 2 inches up the sides of the pan. Spoon the ricotta from the cheesecloth into a steel flower-petal steamer.
• Mix together the salt, sugar, juniper berries, peppercorns, coriander seeds, bay leaves and rosemary. Pour this into the base of the smoker. Sprinkle the wood chips around the edges of the spice mixture. Place a small (10-inch) baking rack on top of the spice mixture. Turn the heat to high (and turn on the exhaust fan above your stove), and when smoke appears, spread the ice on the baking rack. Top with the steamer. Cover the smoker (or wok) tightly with either the lid or aluminum foil. Regulate the heat so the mixture is smoking but not scorching. Smoke until the ricotta is golden brown on top and dry enough on the edges to crumble, 15 to 20 minutes. Scrape the ricotta into a bowl and chill immediately.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• In the same pot, make the sauce: Add the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir until well combined.
• Add 1/2 cup pasta water to the sauce and stir until smooth. Add the pasta and continue to stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth sauce.
• Divide the pasta among bowls and top with some of the sauce that's pooled at the bottom of the pot. Garnish with grated Parmesan, black pepper, red-pepper flakes and basil, if using.

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water, making sure to keep it quite al dente.
• Put butter in a wide deep skillet over medium heat. Add drained pasta to the pan and season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if using.
• Add tomato sauce gradually and stir to coat pasta, using only enough sauce for a light coating (you may not need the entire 2 1/2 cups).
• Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl and dot top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle lightly with pecorino and garnish with a few torn basil leaves.