Ricotta, Chicken Pasta and summery dreams



Winter has hit here in Toronto.  It's cold.  Like stupid cold.  There is snow... not a lot but there is snow.  I've put my bike away for the winter.  We cried and I told it that I'd be out to visit and that our first ride in March would be awesome - we have to hold out for that.  So, here I am, running through the snow to work, motivating myself in the dark and craving cooking summery food. 


Let's face it, chicken, ricotta, lemon, parmesan... summery food for sure, right?  I should be posting about turnip, parsnip, cabbage (well - I have been posting about cabbage), squash... all that kind of stuff.  What the heck am I doing posting this in December.  You see?  I'm thinking exactly the same thing that you are thinking.  Where's the gingerbread, the turkey, the soup, the ham???  No, Wanda's posting lemony, cheesy pasta - damn, it even sounds good when you write it. 


Anyway, I craved it and so I made it and it was good.  Everybody ate it which means that it was good and that it didn't seem terribly out of place for the fam.  Truth be told, I bought this organic ricotta stuff and it was a little chunkier than I had hoped.  I imagined something creamier and I would make this again just to try it with creamier ricotta.  I don't think that anyone would object. 
Trust me the Christmasy/Seasonal posts are coming.  You'll get everything that you crave... well, maybe not the turkey.  But let's face it, Man cannot live on Christmas dinner and treats alone.  I'm going to let you in on a little secret:  it's not even my favourite meal.  Not even on my favourite meal list (doesn't everybody have one of those?).  I think that a hearty lasagna, butter chicken or a Trini Sunday lunch would be right up there instead.  I do have a cookie exchange party in a few days that I've got to get organised for.   That's going to force me into Christmasiness for sure.  This particular party serves a lovely Glugg recipe so I'm totally there.  I'll figure out what I'm gonna make and get pictures for all of you so that you can check it out too. 
For now though, let's dream of summer and sitting outside on the patio, sipping chardonnay and eating this gorgeous pasta. 


Ricotta, Chicken Pasta

serves 4


4 - 5 cups cooked pasta (rotini or penne)
1 lb chicken, sliced (I used thighs for this one but a mixture would do fine)
4 cups chard, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cups mushrooms, thickly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
zest from 1 lg lemon
juice from said lemon
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp basil
400g tub of ricotta (smooth)
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup parmesan
dash of pepper or heat of some kind

In a large pot of boiling water add some salt and boil the pasta to al dente.
Drain (reserve some of the pasta water) and set aside.

In another pot heat some oil over medium heat and add in the onion, chard and mushrooms.  Stir, cooking for about 5 min.  Add in the diced or sliced chicken and the garlic.  Continue cooking for about 5 minutes.  Add in the lemon zest, juice, salt, sugar and basil.  Mix well.
Add in the ricotta, cream and parmesan.  Mix until creamy and saucy (!)  Check the taste and add some heat if you choose to go there.  Adjust as necessary.  Toss the cooked pasta and serve.

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St Michael's Choir School is celebrating it's 75th anniversary year of service to St Michael's Cathedral. Part of the school celebration is a trip to Italy where our boys from Grades 5 - 12 will be performing and celebrating Mass. This blog will be chronicling our adventures. Wanda Thorne is the Vocal Coach at St Michael's Choir School. Gerard Lewis is the Grade 7/8 Homeroom teacher at the Choir School.

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Wanda Thorne
St Michael's Choir School is celebrating it's 75th anniversary year of service to St Michael's Cathedral. Part of the school celebration is a trip to Italy where our boys from Grades 5 - 12 will be performing and celebrating Mass. This blog will be chronicling our adventures. Wanda Thorne is the Vocal Coach at St Michael's Choir School. Gerard Lewis is the Grade 7/8 Homeroom teacher at the Choir School.
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