Spring Archives - Page 2 of 5 - I THINK THEREFORE I JAM

Wild Garlic (“leurda”) Pesto

This is a pesto that screams out that Spring is sprunging. It also packs a mighty punch of chlorphyll, vits and all things immune system boosting which is welcome relief after a long winter.

Its vibrant and warming with “Urda gnocchi” excellent as a pasta sauce with young green beans and a personal fave…use as a sauce for grilled halloumi. But pungent it is – eat with those you love or those who love garlic!

In strange times it guarantees “social distancing” and aids social isolation greatly.

Goat Ricotta Tart with Spring Flowers

Inspired by the Michel Roux ricotta tart which I have long wanted to make. It calls for the freshest most perfect ricotta and that from Mihai and Ioana Preotescu in the Spring is incredibly creamy and deserving of the term “unctuous”. As a follow on from a feast of goats cheese with freshly made flat breads, nuts and cheese a risk of lactic over indulgence? surely not. Superb ever trustworthy pairing of the Stirbey Tamaioasa Romaneasca Sec recommended by Richard Fox elevated the offerings.

Ingredients

1 Blind baked pastry case 20cm made with Very Buttery Pastry

400g ricotta – the best and freshest you have access to

edible flowers – elderflowers, honeysuckle, orange blossom

Good floral honey such as acacia or linden

MR adds pistachios and serves with wedges of lemon separately to heighten the flavour of the ricotta. This ricotta was so full of subtle flavours and real milk flavour that I didnt want to mess with it very much. I just used honey.

How To

Blind bake the tart case and let cool
Mash the ricotta with a fork
Dribble honey into the base of the tart case
Spoon the ricotta over the top
Decorate with the flowers

Improvs

Cherries, strawberries and my favourite gooseberries lightly poached with some elderflower create a heavenly cheesecake

“Urda” Gnocchi with wild garlic pesto

A long time ago I tried to make gnocchi. The plot involved an Italian boyfriend, sleep deprivation and a fabulous walnut sauce. The plot, alas, got lost: The gnocchi dissolved into something akin to prisoner of war camp potato soup or being more charitable: wallpaper paste. The fabulous sauce dried up and was never used. The boyfriend sneered. I sulked.

Fast forward a number of years, a desire to vanquish the gnocchi demon and a sneaking suspicion that some little dumplings made with “Urda” (a Romanian ricotta like cheese made from whey and very high in protein) and sexed up with a fabulous pesto would work. And work it does.

Gnocchi work well with all manner of sauces but they seem particularly delicious with a more piquant sauce…this garlicky, lemony, almondy sauce does the trick.

These gnocchi are fast, they freeze (use direct from the freezer) and they work with many sauces. Give them a go and you will have a wonderful earthy comfort food dish mastered perhaps a bit faster than I managed.