Spinach Pesto Ricotta Recipes

SPINACH PESTO

Steps:

• Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor; cover and pulse until chopped. Add the walnuts, lemon juice and zest; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream., Serve desired amount of pesto with pasta. Transfer remaining pesto to ice cube trays. Cover and freeze up to 1 month., To use frozen pesto: Thaw in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Serve with pasta.

SPINACH & RICOTTA PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
• Pasta Sauce: Pour out about 1/4 cup of the passata (to make room to add flavourings). Add the remaining Pasta Sauce ingredients into the bottle, screw the lid on and give it a shake.
• Cook pasta for time per packet MINUS 1 minute.
• SCOOP OUT 1 mugful pasta cooking water, drain and set aside.
• Ricotta Mixture - Mix Ricotta Mixture ingredients in a very large bowl. Use a splash of pasta cooking water if needed to make it creamy.
• Add pasta and stir to combine. Transfer to a heatproof baking dish.
• Top with Pasta Sauce, top with cheese. Loosely cover with foil.
• Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the cover and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Serve while hot and fresh!

SPINACH-RICOTTA PESTO PASTA WITH CRISP PROSCIUTTO AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. When it boils, add pasta and cook as indicated on box.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When it shimmers, add prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and toss to coat evenly. Let cook until asparagus just starts to get browned on the edges, about 3 minutes.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add a few tablespoons of the water to the asparagus mixture, stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate browned bits, and remove from heat. Drain pasta and return to pot (off heat), add remaining reserved pasta cooking water, asparagus, Spinach-Ricotta Dip, and stir until thoroughly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired. Serve immediately.
• In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add pine nuts and cook until they make a popping noise and start to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in garlic and onion and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to a food processor fitted with a blade, add in remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, as necessary.

RICOTTA RAVIOLI WITH SPINACH PESTO

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together ricotta, 1/4 cup hazelnuts, nutmeg, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Lay several wonton wrappers on a work surface. Scoop a generous tablespoon of the ricotta filling into the center of each wrapper, and brush outside edges with egg white. Lay another wonton wrapper on top of each, and press firmly with fingertips to press out air and seal ravioli. Transfer ravioli to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wonton wrappers and filling, making 18 to 20 ravioli total. Cover baking sheet with a damp paper towel and transfer to refrigerator to set up, about 30 minutes.
• To make the spinach pesto:
• In a food processor, combine remaining 3/4 cup hazelnuts, lemon juice, spinach, garlic, parmesan, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste and puree until smooth.
• Fill a large pot with water, salt liberally, and bring to a boil. Cook ravioli in three batches, until they are cooked and float to the top, about 2 to 3 minutes. Strain and transfer to serving bowls with a dollop of spinach pesto.

SPINACH PESTO & RICOTTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta for 8-10 minutes until tender but firm.
• Reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water, drain pasta and return to pot.
• In large skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over med heat; cook onion& garlic, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or til softened.
• Stir in spinach and basil; cover and cook for 2 minutes.
• Uncover and cook, stirring for 2 minutes longer.
• Transfer to food processor.
• Add remaining butter, salt& pepper and puree til smooth.
• Add reserved pasta water and blend well.
• Add spinach mixture to pasta along with 3/4 cup of the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and lemon juice; toss to combine.
• Serve each with a dollop of remaining ricotta; sprinkle with pine nuts.