Orecchiette Celery And Olive Salad With Ricotta Salata Recipes

ORECCHIETTE, CELERY, AND OLIVE SALAD WITH RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• Using the side of a chef's knife, mash garlic with 1 teaspoon salt into a paste. Transfer to a small bowl; whisk in lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, and oil. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• Cook pasta in generously salted water according to package directions until cooked all the way through. Drain (but don't rinse, which would waterlog the noodles), then spread on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with half of vinaigrette. Let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss fennel, capers and brine, chickpeas, ricotta salata, and celery with remaining vinaigrette. Add pasta; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate up to a day ahead; let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving. (Cold pasta salad is too firm and less flavorful.) Toss with Parmigiano-Reggiano and celery leaves; serve.

SLICED ORANGE SALAD WITH SAUTEED OLIVES AND RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from 2 oranges in strips. Cut the strips lengthwise as thinly as possible until you have 2 tablespoons of thin slices. Reserve the thin slices and discard the remaining zest. Using a sharp knife, remove the entire rind from the 6 oranges and cut them lengthwise in half. Cut each half crosswise into 1/4-inch slices to form half-moons. Remove the seeds.
• Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over high heat. Add the rosemary to the skillet, cook for a few seconds, and then add the olives. Cook for 10 seconds or until the olives begin to absorb the rosemary-infused oil. Stir in the reserved 2 tablespoons of thinly sliced orange zest. Cook for a few seconds, then remove the skillet from the heat and allow the mixture to cool in the skillet.
• Add the orange juice to a medium-sized bowl and pour in twice the amount of olive oil as there is juice. Whisk lightly until combined. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Put the spinach in a large bowl. Add the reserved orange slices and pour in the olive-orange mixture from the skillet. Add the vinaigrette and toss gently to evenly coat the spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the salad to a serving platter or individual bowls. Grate some ricotta salata over the top, and serve immediately.
• Twice the amount of olive oil as orange juice .

ORECCHIETTE WITH GREENS, GARBANZO BEANS AND RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic and discard. Add the Swiss chard and cook until wilted. In batches, add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add the beans and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the pasta, 1/2 of the cheese, and lemon zest. Toss well and thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed.
• Transfer to a large serving bowl and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve.

CELERY & OLIVE SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium-sized glass or plastic bowl, stir together celery, olives, olive oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight.
• Serve as an accompaniment to fish or meat.

MARINATED BEANS WITH CELERY AND RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• Toss beans, celery, oil, vinegar, and 1 Tbsp. thyme in a large bowl to combine; season generously with salt.
• Just before serving, transfer beans to a shallow bowl and top with ricotta salata, pepper, and more thyme.
• Do Ahead
• Bean salad (without celery and ricotta salata) can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

ORECCHIETTE WITH CHARD AND RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• Separate the chard leaves from ribs with a knife. Wash the leaves and transfer to a pot, with just water clinging to them. Cover and cook over moderate heat until wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain, pressing out excess water, but don't squeeze them dry. Chop coarsely.
• Heat 1/3 cup of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderate heat. Add garlic and hot pepper flakes and saute until garlic is lightly covered, about 2 minutes. Add greens, season highly with salt and pepper and toss to coat with seasonings. Keep warm.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return pasta to pot and add remaining tablespoon of oil. Toss until coated, then add greens and toss again. Grate ricotta salata over the pasta and toss again, adding some reserved water if needed to keep pasta moist.
• Transfer to warm plates.

PASTA SALAD WITH MELON, PANCETTA, AND RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Arrange pancetta in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until brown and crisp, 20-25 minutes. (Alternatively, place pancetta on folded layers of paper towels on a microwave-proof plate and microwave on high until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes.) Let pancetta stand until cool enough to handle, then break into bite-size pieces.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a medium pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta; run under cold water to cool. Drain and set aside.
• Whisk oil and vinegar in a large bowl. Add half of pancetta, cooked pasta, melon, half of mint, scallion, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle remaining pancetta and mint over. Garnish with shaved ricotta salata.