Like any warm blooded American, pizza and I are best friends.  Although our relationship recently has been closer to that of “frienemy” than best friends forever.  You see, the disconnect lies with the sauce.  Traditional “quick and easy” pizza sauce is more frequently sourced from a can, rather than an actual tomato.  And that’s a problem for me.  It’s metallic.  It’s strangely reddish-orange.  It’s often sickeningly sweet.  It’s tomato only in name.

Thus, may I introduce to you the 3 cheese ricotta spread?  It’s creamy.  It’s tangy.  It’s slightly salty and spicy and herby in all the right ways.  And best of all?  It does not come from a can.  It’s mixed fresh and tastes like it.

A simple spread of ricotta on a cracker thin crust, topped with garlic sauteed spinach, roasted turkey, feta cheese, and a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan is enough to make my day. It’s simple enough for a week night, but fancy enough to impress.

Now, no more questions.  Get cooking!

Spinach Pizza with Ricotta and Roasted Turkey
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen and King Aurthur

The crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until it comes together.  Dump the entire bowl out onto a clean work surface and knead until well combined.  Lightly oil the same bowl and return the dough to the bowl.  Cover and let rise an hour or two, or until it has doubled in size.

The toppings
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
6 ounces of fresh baby spinach, washed
7.5 ounces whole milk ricotta
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup roasted turkey (or chicken or sausage, or…), shredded or cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with the rack at the lowest spot.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the minced garlic.  Cook for 3 minutes, not letting the garlic brown or burn.  Add the spinach.  At this point, it will look like too much spinach, but as it cooks, it will reduce in size.   Toss the spinach and garlic together in the skillet so that each leaf wilts and none burn.  After cooked, squeeze the excess water out of the spinach using a cheesecloth or clean (non-terry) kitchen towel.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Roll out the crust to your desired thickness and shape.  Place the dough on a well oiled cookie sheet.  Evenly spread the ricotta mixture over the dough, leaving room around the edges for the crust.  Arrange the spinach on top of the ricotta mixture and then add the turkey and crumbled feta cheese.

Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes.  Top with the remaining parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Reheating tip:

I’ve found that the best way to reheat cold pizza, while creating a crispy bottom, is to heat it slowly in a skillet.  I turn the heat to medium-low and place the pizza slice on the dry skillet.  I then top it with the lid to “steam” cook the toppings while the bottom re-crisps.  Since you’re using a dry skillet (as opposed to one you’ve added oil or butter to), clean up is easy!

I realize we’re long past zucchini season here in Kansas.  But the weather has been nice (in the 50s and 60s) these last few weeks, and I’m getting restless.  I can see spring on the horizon and all the fresh fruits and vegetables that fill the farmer’s markets soon after.  I’m not really one for the heaviness and heartiness that usually comes with cold weather foods.  I much prefer the lightness and freshness of spring and summer – the recipes we make when it’s too warm outside to run the oven for and hour or two.  The salads, bruschettas, simple pizzas and sandwiches.

Which I guess explains why, in the middle of January – most decidedly winter – I determined that zucchini was the ideal grocery store purchase.  It’s been a weird winter here so far.  Only a couple flurries of snow and temperatures more suited to October than January.  But I’ll take it.  if it means I can trick myself into believing that zucchini in January is perfectly appropriate.  But even if that’s not entirely admissible – it has citrus.  And that’s all about winter.  Right?

Zucchini Fritters with Herbed Lemon Ricotta
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Makes 8-10 fritters, depending on size

For the Fritters:
4 medium zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 to 1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons oil, for cooking

For the Ricotta:
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
juice from half a large lemon
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Begin by shredding chopping off the ends of the zucchini and shredding it either with a box grater or a food processor.  Add the salt to the shredded zucchini and let it sit for ten minutes.  Squeeze the water out using cheesecloth or a clean dish towel.  Let it set a minute or two and wring it out again.  The more water you can get out, the better.  Zucchini holds a lot of water and if too much remains in the batter, it will create a soggy interior.  After wringing as much liquid out of the zucchini as you can, taste it and add more salt if needed.

In a large bowl, mix together the zucchini, egg, black pepper and 3/4 to 1 cup all-purpose flour, depending on how much liquid remains in your zucchini.  If you want even more lemony goodness, add a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice to the batter and stir to combine all ingredients.

Add approximately two Tablespoons oil to a large skillet over medium heat.  Shape the batter into 2 1/2 to 3 inch pucks and pan fry until the bottoms are golden brown and a little crispy.  Turn over and cook the other side until browned.

Heat oven to 200 degrees F.  Place the browned fritters on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes to finish setting.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, lemon juice, thyme, rosemary and salt and pepper.  Set aside.

After the fritters have cooked, top them with the ricotta mixture and sprinkle on some fresh herbs, if desired.

These are best served hot.

I was walking down by my neighborhood river the other day and was thinking about how we never do anything just for fun anymore.  Everything in our lives is always such a chore.  Everything has a purpose. 

We choose jobs based on how much they pay, or if we get medical or dental.  We cook because our family has to eat.  We run because it’s healthy.  

It seems rare that we do something purely for the simple enjoyment it brings. Our lives seem to be focused more on getting the job done, rather than enjoying, and living, the life we have.

What if we lived our lives with an eye more toward the things that make us happy than the things that get us by?  Sure that fancy new job pays more, but does it make you feel good?  Does it give you a purpose in life beyond 9-5?  Are you happy to go to work in the morning? 

Sure we just got off work; we’re tired and the kids are hungry.  What if, instead of throwing some frozen chicken nuggets in the oven, we make some simple chicken salad, or stuffed peppers, or easy ravioli?

The other day, I threw on my tennis shoes, tuned my iPod to Joy the Baker, warned the cat to not have too much fun while I was out, and made my way down to the river that runs through my neighborhood.  And it was wonderful.  I walked just because it was a lovely day, the geese were out, and I had nothing else going on.  I walked for an hour, enjoying the fresh air and neighborhood waterfowl.  And while it was technically exercise, it didn’t feel like exercise; it was fun, it was invigorating. 

 And that’s what life should be.

Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli with Brown Butter and Whole Grain Mustard Sauce
Makes 10 ravioli

1 recipe homemade noodles, rolled on the thinnest setting into one large sheet
1/2 cup ricotta
1/3 cup chopped, cooked spinach, water squeezed out
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon fresh, chopped thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh, chopped rosemary
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard

Begin by mixing the ricotta, spinach, garlic, thyme, rosemary, squeeze fresh lemon, and salt and pepper together in a bowl. Taste and adjust any seasonings.

Lay out your long sheet of noodle on your work surface and cut it in half vertically, set one half aside and cover with a damp towel.  On the remaining half, spoon the ricotta-spinach filling, in approximately 1 Tablespoon sized dollops, lengthwise down the middle of the noodle sheet, leaving 2 inches between each.  Using your finger or a pastry brush, lightly circle the ricotta-spinach mounds with water this step is to ensure that the two pasta sheets stick to each other well.

Remove the towel from the clean noodle sheet and lightly lay it over the ricotta-spinach dollops.  Carefully press the clean sheet on top of each mound to work out any air bubbles by gently working from the filling away to the edges of the pasta.  Be careful not to press so hard that you tear the noodle.

Using a knife (or if you want round shapes, a cookie cutter), cut the ravioli into equal squares.

Cook in batches in well salted water for 3-4 minutes, or until al dente. Remove them to the serving plate(s).

After all the pasta is cooked, pour out the water and return the pan to the stove.  Turn the heat to medium and add the butter.  Let the butter cook until it is a nice amber brown, watching closely as it will go from browned butter to burnt butter quickly.  As it’s browning, the butter will foam up a bit and then the foam will subside and it will begin to brown.    When the butter is lightly brown and nutty smelling, remove it from the heat and whisk in the whole grain Dijon mustard.  At this point, my sauce foamed up like crazy (which is why I’m recommending you cook it in the same pot that you cooked the ravioli in – you want lots of room for it to foam).  Whisk continuously to combine the two.   Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and stir to combine.

Pour, or spoon, over the ravioli and serve hot.

Last January I kicked off the new year with the traditional good luck dish – black-eyed peas.  And while 2011 was a good year, I’ve decided that 2012 needs a little something extra that simmering beans (peas?) in a pot with sausage and peppers just can’t achieve.  This year isn’t going to be a good year, it’s going to be a great year.  This year requires flour wells, eggs incorporated by hand, dough kneaded until silky smooth and yolky yellow.

Yesterday, Adam Roberts of the Amateur Gourmet tweeted a rather inspiring prospect: “What if those of us who make pasta too often make a resolution to only make pasta at home if we make it from SCRATCH?”  And while I don’t think he was actively trying to provoke a homemade noodle challenge, I like the idea of being more “homemade” in the new year – putting more thought into what I eat and where it comes from.

This 2012, I’m going to make more things by hand.  More noodles, more bread, more tomato sauce.  This summer I’m going to can, pickle and jam.  I’m going to hope and pray that this June-August isn’t as deadly hot to my tomatoes as it was last year.  I find that it’s much easier to eat healthy and to live healthy when I’m taking pride in what I cook.  Sure I could just run down to some fast-food pasta place and pick up some noodles and sauce to go, but where’s the pride in that?  Where’s the accomplishment?  It’s just me: eating soggy noodles in bland, tinny tomato sauce.  There’s nothing special happening.  But taking the time to make dough from flour and egg?  Rolling it ever thinner until it’s perfection?  Cutting it to shape, irregularities or no? There’s the pride.  There’s the accomplishment.  If you think about how much time it takes to get in your car, drive to a restaurant, wait for your food, and drive back home – taking an hour to make noodles by hand doesn’t seem like much of an imposition.

I’m not making any of the traditional resolutions this year.  Those are too easy to break; too easy to forget and discard.  This year my resolution is simpler: I’m going to take pride in what I cook.  And I’m going to make as much of it by hand as I can.

I’m going old school.

Homemade Noodles with Cream and Parmesan
Makes two servings of noodles

Noodles
2/3 to 1 cup flour (for some reason an entire cup of flour, the standard for most noodle recipes, was entirely too much for me.  I found 2/3 cup flour to be the best amount.  Start with 2/3 cup and work up from there to find the right amount for you)
1 large egg

Mound the flour on your work surface and make a well in the center of the flour with the walls making a ring approximately 1 inch thick.  Crack the egg in the middle of the well and with your fingers or a fork, slowly move in a circle to begin breaking the egg up, drawing a little flour in with the egg with each turn.  When the egg starts to thicken and lift itself up from the board, use a pastry scraper to incorporate all the flour with the egg.  The dough should be moist, but not sticky.  If you find the dough is too wet after using 2/3 cup flour, add more flour a little at a time until it is moist, but not sticky.  Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 – 15 minutes, until the dough becomes silky smooth.  If you are finding the dough difficult to work with, let it rest for about 5 minutes and come back to it.   Don’t worry about over kneading the dough.

After the dough is silky smooth, let it rest, well covered with plastic wrap so it does not dry out, for 30 minutes.

Pass the dough through a pasta machine on the widest setting.  Dust with flour and fold in half.  Turn 90 degrees and run through again.  Repeat six or eight times, until the dough is soft and smooth.  Gradually decrease the rolling distance and work up to the smallest setting.  My Imperia has six thickness settings and I found that “2″ was the perfect thickness for me.  After you have reached your desired thickness, you may cut the noodles by hand or, if you pasta machine has a cutting attachment, roll the dough through the cutters.

Cook in well salted boiling water until tender. Approximately 5 minutes.

Sauce
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 squeeze fresh lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and add the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.  Stir until the cheese is melted.  Add the grated nutmeg, lemon and salt and pepper to taste.

Toss in the cooked noodles to coat.

Top with more Parmesan cheese if desired.  Or, really, just top with more Parmesan.  You can never have too much Parmesan.  Trust me.