This morning, browsing through the daily cooking posts on Instagram, I stumbled upon a recipe by the very talented Renata Briano, who explained the importance of creating dishes that are accessible to everyone with easily available ingredients. I already had everything I needed in the fridge, and until then I was still undecided about what to have for lunch, so the step from indecision to replicating her dish was really short! Of course, I made some small changes according to my personal taste, but very little in fact, considering the essence of this dish, which, in its simplicity, contains a triad of ingredients, let me say, of great respect: fresh ricotta from the Nebrodi, capers from Pantelleria, and organic lemon peels from my aunt’s farm. All Sicilian ingredients, which I am proud of! To use Renata’s expression, I would say an explosion of flavors and aromas given by the quality of excellently mixed products! I also enriched the ricotta cream with “tumazzu“, a Pecorino cheese protected by designation of origin, produced exclusively with sheep’s milk from the Sicilian territory. Obviously, you can replace it with any aged cheese from your geographical area. No need to sauté. All you need is a large bowl and a pot, and in a few minutes, the time it takes to cook the pasta, lunch is served!
[Recipe from the blog “My politics in the kitchen” by Briano Renata]
- Cost: Very Affordable
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients:
- 11 oz Whole wheat penne
- 1 cup Sheep's ricotta
- 1.5 oz Grated Pecorino cheese
- 1 oz Salted capers
- 1 Zest of untreated lemon
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 bunch Parsley
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black pepper
Preparation
Start by rinsing the capers under running water. Bring a pot of abundant salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Meanwhile, work the ricotta cream with 4-5 tablespoons of cooking water in a large bowl (fig. 1).
Add the nutmeg, lemon zests, and a pinch of pepper (fig. 2).
Mix and incorporate the rinsed capers and grated Pecorino cheese (fig. 3).
If the cream is too thick, add a few more tablespoons of cooking water as needed (fig. 4).
Drain the pasta and mix it with this cream. Serve hot with coarsely chopped parsley and more lemon zests.
And voilà…your whole wheat penne in ricotta cream, lemon zests and capers is ready to be enjoyed!
Enjoy your meal from Fefe’s kitchen!
