Tagliatelle with Braised Kale and Ricotta

I came into an inordinate amount of ricotta last week. Tubs worth, really. Some from Di Palo, some of this stuff. How on earth do I work my way through it all?* Short of making ricotta cheesecake (because I just don't feel like cheesecake in November, do you?), I've been throwing spoons of ricotta in with our weekly pasta, mixing it up for a creamy, rich sauce. This works well if the pasta is dressed with a very simple tomato sauce (seriously simple: a clove of garlic, some canned tomatoes, a bit of salt, a line of olive oil and maybe some basil, if you've got it, if not, none).

The other night, though, we were out of canned tomatoes and a pathetic pile of kale sat in the fridge, staring up at me balefully every time I opened the door. Okay, I thought. I might as well do some clean-up cooking. That kale isn't going to eat itself.

So I braised the kale (using this technique, sans vinegar, or you could use this one) and boiled some tagliatelle (penne, too, would be nice here). I spooned some of the thick and fluffy ricotta curds into a bowl and then stirred in the hot kale. The starchy pasta water worked as a thinner - you want the ricotta and kale to be saucy without being soupy. You know?

What's important here is the seasoning: if you don't salt properly, the pasta water and the kale, I mean, you risk ending up with a dish that's quite bland and forgettable.  You need the salt for this to work, and then the ricotta smooths out all the rough edges of the gently sulfurous kale and slicks the chewy pasta with a nice, creamy finish.

We ate this right up, no leftovers, and Ben kept doing that thing where he nods and murmurs with his mouth full and points at his plate with his fork repeatedly, brow furrowed in delight, looking mightily approving.

* Seriously, I've still got more ricotta in the fridge than I know what to do with. What's your favorite way of using up ricotta? Other than in lasagna.

Tagliatelle with Braised Kale and Ricotta
Serves 2 to 4

1 bunch of kale (curly, Tuscan, what have you)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and red pepper flakes
2/3 cup fresh ricotta
Enough pasta for two people (I used about 8 ounces of dried tagliatelle)
Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Wash the kale, strip the leaves off the ribs, chop the kale into ribbons and put them in a pot with olive oil and garlic, some salt and a few grinds of red pepper flakes. Cook over low heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes, until the kale is good and wilted.

2. Add a cup of water, partially cover the pot and let it cook for another half hour. In the meantime, put the ricotta in a serving dish. Boil water, well-salted, for the pasta. When the kale is cooked, add it to the ricotta and mix well.

3. Dump the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente. Use some of the starchy pasta water to thin the kale and ricotta mixture, if needed. Drain the pasta and toss with the kale and ricotta. Grate a very generous amount of Parmigiano over the pasta and toss well before serving and eating immediately.

Comments

[lynh]

call me crazy but when life gives me a ton of ricotta I make cheese blintzes. I freeze them and then try to give some away - they make a pretty good breakfast sometimes. But also, as I know you have vegetable guilt deep in your heart, you could try to make Clotilde's stuffed zucchini with quinoa and ricotta?

[Katharine]

Giada DeLaurentiis has a good ricotta cake recipe, ravioli stuffed with ricotta and butternut squash is delicious, and one of the recent Food & Wine magazines (Nov?) has a whole section on what to do with homemade ricotta - which you could probably replace with your high-quality stuff. Have fun!

[Karen]

Canoli!

Stuffed manicotti.

Raviolis that you can make now, freeze for later.

[lisaiscooking]

Oddly enough, I posted about left-over ricotta just recently. I was inspired by some fantastic looking lemon ricotta muffins, but I ended up baking a ricotta pound cake.

[Lauren]

you should make the zuni cafe ricotta gnocchi
they are amaaaaaaaazing!
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Zuni-Ricotta-Gnocchi-241532

[Sarah]

Mollie Katzen's breakfast cookbook has some nice recipes for ricotta muffins. That's what I do with surplus ricotta!

[RA]

Kind of pedestrian, I know, but we make calzones with our extra ricotta. I trust you to zazz that one up.

[krista]

my spin on spinach enchiladas (hey at least it uses up a cup of your ricotta!):

Spinach & Cheese Enchiladas

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream (or unsweetened greek yogurt)
1 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese (can substitute monterey jack, pepper jack, mozzarella)
4 large flour tortillas (or 6 small flour or corn tortillas)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 2 minutes, then add garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in spinach, and saute until it cooks down. Remove from the heat, and mix in green onions, ricotta cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup of white cheddar cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Spoon about 1/4-1/2 cup (depending on size of tortilla) of the spinach mixture onto the center of each tortilla. Roll up, and place seam side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until sauce cheese is melted and/or lightly browned at the edges.

[Dana]

I *love* ricotta. One of my favorite ways to eat it is to slather it on fresh bread (cranberry walnut...oat/sunflower/millet...7-grain...) and drizzle it with good honey, like chesnut honey or lavender honey. YUM. A perfect breakfast if you ask me. (Oh, and speaking of breakfast...ricotta pancakes are pretty great too...)

[Elizabeth]

My favorite way to eat (good) ricotta is just spread on bread with salt and pepper. Maybe with some ham on the top. Mmmm.

[Adrienne]

I know it's not zucchini season, but you could make a savory ricotta pie with different veggies, kiiind of like a cheesecake: http://hungrybruno.blogspot.com/2008/08/another-way-to-use-zucchini.html
BTW, thanks for cooking with kale so much, I love it!

[julia f]

smitten kitchen has a really excellent recipe for savoury ricotta pancake/fritters.

[christina]

I completely second the idea of spreading it on toast with dark honey. If you can find date syrup or carob syrup, I really really recommend it with ricotta. It has a dark, intense, fruity flavor that you can't find anywhere else. Mmm.

[Anna]

Dang, I love your cooking style! We make variations on this all the time, often with some white wine and cannellini beans thrown in (mmm). I am a big fan of ricotta (even the non-fresh grocery store kind). I like to make sandwiches with ricotta and fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, or dill). Also there's a lemon ricotta pancake recipe over at Smitten Kitchen that I have my eye on.

[sara]

Ricotta gnocchi are a great way to use ricotta. The recipe from Sunday Suppers at Lucques is great.

[tokyoastrogirl]

I know this is a sort of cheesecake but I personally love to eat it slightly warm, drizzled with honey- Mario Batali's Torta della Nonna is my favorite dessert at Osteria Mozza.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/torta-della-nonna-recipe/index.html

Add cup of hot tea and cozy spot on the sofa and I think it's a nice way to start a weekend:).

[The Food Hunter]

Gina DePalma has a ricotta pound cake recipe in her book Dolce Italiano. It's wonderful and a good way to use up some ricotta. Also, you can use it in pancake batter to make them extra light and fluffy.

[Lisa]

Mmm...extra ricotta is not a problem for me. I love eating it with roasted figs and some honey. With tomatoes and basil as a sort of salad. On pizza. Or in a lemony cheesecake, as many others have suggested.

[Amanda Boyce]

I second the ricotta pound cake and ricotta gnocchi. They both sound delicious :) And have I mentioned how much I love your photos? Homie and natural. Wonderful! I feel like I am in your kitchen as I look through the photos.

[Bakingamy]

Hey, ricotta has got to be one of my favorites. Getting the right type of cracker to spread it on is always a challenge. Please check out my blog, I'm new at this and I'd love for people to check out my recipes.

[Rose-Anne]

Mocha Ricotta Muffins! Yum!

http://lifeloveandfood24.blogspot.com/2008/05/for-love-of-words.html

PS I love the recipe sketch in this post. I have part of a bunch of kale that is feeling so sad and neglected this week, but I think the kale and I would both be happy if I let your example inspire me!

[A Mouse Bouche]

One of my favorite desserts (and I'm not much of a sweets person) is to take a heap of ricotta and surround it with figs sliced in half, sprinkle the whole thing with chopped hazelnuts or almonds and drizzle with honey. Eat by scooping the ricotta onto a fig half and popping into your grateful mouth. delicious.

[Rebecca]

Madhur Jaffrey has a similar recipe for pasta with roasted garlic, spinach, ricotta, and parmesan. That's my favorite use for ricotta. But also, there's never been a bad ricotta fritter, ever.

[maggie]

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. Recipe from Five Points restaurant.
Seriously, seriously, make these.
http://tinyurl.com/6eh7s3

The pasta looks nice. It's our last CSA night tomorrow, and something like that might be just the ticket.

[Jill]

baked ziti with chicken will use about 8 ounces of ricotta. I made some last night using my mom's secret family recipe and it hit the spot!

[Sarah]

Luisa, I know you said no lasagna, but I just ran into this recipe and couldn't help but send it along. I think it could help with the ricotta shenanigan, and not be quite as complicated as a ravioli recipe. It doesn't call for tomatoes, so you can remain tomatoe-less in your cupboards for a day or two longer. It's a butternut squash lasagna. I want you to make it so that then I can hear your story about making it and thus be inspired.
http://www.culinate.com/recipes/collections/Culinate+Kitchen/Main+Dishes/Butternut+Squash+Lasagne

[Biz]

I recently made sweet potato ravioli with ricotta and made a roasted red pepper sauce to go with it - it was so good!

So if I had gobs of ricotta I would make a bunch of ravioli and freeze them!

[gemma]

that is SUCH an easy question - Nigella Lawson's baci di ricotta. YUM YUM YUM. you can win over ANYONE if you make them for dessert ;)

[Emily]

I once made an unusual, elegant, and scrumptious savory tart using ricotta and acorn squash. A great recipe from Food & Wine, it is perfect for the season served alongside a salad of bitter greens, a soup, or as a side for a holiday meal. Yum.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/savory-ricotta-squash-tart

[Kasey]

You should definitely make some ricotta pancakes--light, fluffy and delicious (especially with some seasonal berries!)

[Leah]

A small bowlful of ricotta, a splash of vanilla, sprinkled with sugar. I ate these on the South Beach diet one misguided summer and still love them!

[Lisa (Homesick Texan)]

Gnudi are wonderful. I also like to add some lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla and stevia (or sugar) to a bowl of ricotta and eat it like pudding.

[johanna]

lemon ricotta pancakes!! this recipe works great http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Ricotta-Pancakes-with-Sauteed-Apples-12793 but don't bother with the apples.

[KatyBelle]

If it's really, really nice fresh ricotta, I like it in a bowl with a big spoonful (or two) of clover honey on top. Just like that. It's milky, sweet and perfect.

[Sarah]

You could make a ricotta frittata! There's a good recipe over at Simply Recipes, & though she uses zucchini, I've used spinach too & it was delicious!

It doesn't use up a whole lot of ricotta but it is easy! And delicious.

[Mercedes]

there's a good recipe for baked ricotta in "sunday supper at lucques"

[Jesse]

Ricotta lemon cookies! They're so light and fluffy, almost like little cakes. Gaida DeLaurentis actually has a great recipe on the food network site.
I also like it in a really cheesy calzone - it lightens it up some.

[Victoria]

Sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing!

[Deborah Dowd]

This sounds like a wonderful use of ricotta and I love kale - it is my favorite green.

[Laura]

Yum...ricotta. I make ricotta gnocchi, ricotta & feta pie (from Vegetarian Suppers by Deborah Madison--it's really tasty, yummy the second day and a good take along lunch) and ricotta omelet.

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. ricotta
1/4 c. Parmesan or Romano
herb of choice (I like oregano)
milk
minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
butter for pan

Preheat broiler. Beat eggs, incorporate other ingredient. Mixture will be lumpy and rather thick. Melt butter in skillet (this fits perfectly in the 8" cast iron skillet I have), when the foam has receded, add egg mixture. Cook until mostly set on top. Run under broiler for 2-3 minutes to finish cooking and brown top. Slid onto plate. Serves two. Good with greens alongside. This is also based on a Deborah Madison recipe.

[Honeybee]

I like to make a ricotta cake where ricotta is added to the batter instead of butter. I put the recipe down with our measurements as I don't have a clue about ounces and cups and things.

1 tub ricotta (250g)
250g flour
200g sugar
2-3 eggs, depending on size
2 teaspoons baking powder
a little grated lemon zest
1 pinch of salt
raisins if you like

Separate eggs. Beat the yolks with the sugar (all but one tablespoon) until creamy, then add ricotta, lemon zest and raisins if using and stir well. Sift the flour with the baking powder. Whisk the egg whites with the salt until very stiff, adding the last tablespoon of sugar towards the end. Carefully fold into the batter in batches, alternating with batches of flour. Bake in a preheated oven at moderate heat for 30-40 minutes. Turn onto a rack to cool.

Lovely with a cup of tea or milky coffee for breakfast or an afternoon treat.

[Christine]

Lucky you, having all that ricotta! One of my favorite breakfasts is toasted crusty white bread, topped with a dollop of fresh ricotta, then drizzled with a flavorful honey (or I sometimes spread the bread with a really good preserve, then top with ricotta, sans honey). I also love making a savory version of this as an little hors d'oeuvre, using smaller bread pieces and tapenade, pesto, or tomato confit instead of the honey or preserves. YUM!

[Victoria]

The recipe in Zuni for Pasta alla Carbonara has ricotta in it. It's the only carbonara recipe I have ever loved. It it totally delicious. Once you try it, you won't go back to any other recipe. The curds of ricotta add a lot to this dish. You should definitely try it. (By the way, I think DiPalo ricotta is THE BEST!)

[Cory]

Coincidentally, I made a similar dish two nights ago adding toasted walnuts to the ricotta cream, and using broccoli instead of kale. It was really good but the leftovers are pretty dry.

[The Hungry Roach]

If squash blossoms are still available, you should try stuffing them with the ricotta! Add some breadcrumbs to the interior and then lightly fry them in olive oil. Simple and tasty - enjoy!

[Jaime]

I'm a huge fan of your site...I especially love when you go on these post everyday kicks! I think you have wonderful taste and I have tried many recipes that you have recommended.
-Papardelle w/Bagna Cauda and olive oil fried egg
-Stuffed Tomatoes w/rice
-Fennel and Olive Salad
-Geraldine's Date cake
Just to name a few.
Ricotta is a wonderful thing - I love mixing it with parmesan and herbs and stuffing vegetables with the mixture to roast in the oven. The following recipe is a good starting point and you can add more oomph as you like. http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1041862

[Jennifer Hess]

Breakfast: ricotta with pine nuts, chopped dried apricots and a drizzle of good balsamic. It's heavenly.

[BF]

hi luisa. i made this very simple ricotta appetizer one night for friends, and it was a huge hit: http://tastingtable.com/entry_detail/50
(i used less milk than the recipe calls for, so that it's whipped (and not soupy)). it's amazing.

[Ellie from Kitchen Caravan]

Looking for a ricotta dessert or two?! Try
Tiramisu Ricotta Cheesecake:
http://www.kitchencaravan.com/recipe/tiramisu-ricotta-cheesecake
or
Crustless Italian Ricotta Cheesecake:
http://www.kitchencaravan.com/recipe/crustless-italian-ricotta-cheesecake

Both are heavenly.

[lifewithgusto]

Have you tried Orangette's incredible double chocolate, orange, bourbon and ricotta cupcakes? They don't use a huge amount of ricotta but they're certainly a worthy destination for a cup or so.

http://orangette.blogspot.com/2005/10/going-steady.html