The bright, lemony ricotta and the sweetness and crunch of maple walnuts pair perfectly with the bitter radicchio and the freshness of parsley and spinach, creating a simple yet flavourful affair that’s lifted by a classic and dependable balsamic dressing. It’s a minimalist’s dream.
SERVES
3 – 4
Ingredients
Dressing
1 quantity basic balsamic dressing
Salad
300g dry pasta
125g ricotta
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, microplaned
50g parmesan cheese
½ fennel bulb, sliced paper thin, some fronds reserved
2 large handfuls (60g) radicchio, leaves torn 2 large handfuls (60g) flat-leaf parsley, chiffonade
1 cup (100g) Maple walnuts
– recipe on page 128
Chilli flakes, to serve
Directions
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the packet. Drain and shake dry, then toss in 3 tablespoons of the balsamic dressing. Set aside to cool.
Combine the ricotta with the lemon juice and zest, and the garlic. Set aside.
Add the parmesan to the cooled, dressed pasta and stir to combine. Add the fennel, radicchio and most of the parsley and the maple walnuts to the pasta and stir to combine.
Place half the pasta in a serving dish. Dot with teaspoons of ricotta and then top with the remaining pasta and ricotta. Top with remaining herbs and walnuts, add chilli flakes to taste, then drizzle with additional balsamic vinaigrette
Swaps
This also works well with halved grape tomatoes, olives, capers.
Recipe extracted from Epic Salads by Jessica Prescott,
published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $65. Photography: Rochelle Eagle
