Ricotta for Lunch

I'm just tickled pink to be sharing my new lunch love with you. Isn't is grand when you find a novel and delicious obsession joy to brighten your lunch platter? As someone who adores food, I find myself easily giddy at new ingredients. It kind of feels like a school-yard crush. And every day, come lunch hour, I look forward to meeting this crush. I race to the playground kitchen, heart a flutter, eager to meet again...

What ingredient has sent me in such a spin? The answer, sweet friends, is ricotta.

Ricotta. It's simple and it's true.

Now, while the former is not such a favoured attribute in a partner, the latter is desired both in the culinary world and in love. Long ago I associated ricotta solely with chain restaurant dinners. My fourteen-year-old self would devour sloppy spinach and ricotta cannelloni, along with a lemon lime and bitters, and chat with girlfriends about boys.

Many years on, I now associate ricotta with Sicily. Ahh, Sicily, the place where I learnt to enjoy ricotta in it's purest form. Find yourself a slab of the finest ricotta and you have restrained elegance and assured deliciousness. I would now describe myself as mildly obsessed. All I seem to want want is ricotta for lunch. And so that's what I've been having.

My ricotta-kissed lunches start with a generous scoop of the divine Floridiaricotta cheese. This cheese...I have no words.

Next up we need a few basics. Wholesome fresh sourdough is always welcome. I've fallen for the divine loaves at Red Hill Epicurean. I'm partial to their wholegrain sourdough but so adore their walnut and rye (and their dark rye loaf with caraway seeds is truly swoon-worthy).

I then prepare some salad goods - warm and taut tomatoes from the garden, thinly sliced onion, pickled or fresh cucumber, radish (radish is always welcome)... A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil usually seals the deal, but if I'm feeling like something more I'll add a spoon of pesto or avocado.

And there we have it, ricotta for lunch. How sweet is that?

Heidi xo