Cheese of the Month: Ricotta

Is January seriously almost over? Didn't it JUST start? Well, the end of the month has snuck up on me, but I managed to make my recipe for January's cheese of the month.

This month's selection was ricotta and I was excited about it. There are so many things to do with ricotta. For me, the first thing I think of when I think about ricotta is lasagna. My brain just immediately goes there. But, I wanted something different. Usually I turn to the web for ideas, but since I have an ever growing collection of cookbooks that rarely get used, I decided to hunt through them for a recipe!



A pasta recipe caught my eye in my Williams-Sonoma Italian Favorites cookbook. The recipe satisfied my two requirements for this month - 1) it had to have ricotta, and 2) it had to be EASY as I am leaving for the states in two days and don't have the time to fuss around in the kitchen!

The recipe is for faralle with ricotta, ham, and corn. It was so incredibly simple and incredibly delicious. The hardest part of the recipe was boiling the pasta! Doesn't get much easier than that!!! :) This meal made a ton and while it was wonderful on a cold January night, this would be a FANTASTIC summer picnic meal, too!

As always, thanks to Britney of Adventures in Gluttony for hosting Cheese of the Month. Check out her blog at the end of the month for the round up!

Farfalle with Ricotta, Ham, and Corn

2 ears white or yellow corn, husks and silk removed OR 1 cup thawed frozen corn OR 1 cup canned corn
1 lb dried farfalle
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 oz cooked ham, cut into strips
Salt, to taste
White pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese for the table

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add corn (if using ears). As soon as the water returns to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for about 5 minutes. Remove the corn from the water and set aside until cool enough to handle. Then, using a sharp knife, cut off the kernals. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, place ricotta in a bowl. Add a few tablespoons of hot pasta water and stir until smooth and creamy.

Drain the pasta and transfer to a warmed serving bowl. Immediately add the butter, ham, ricotta, salt, and white pepper. Toss well, scatter the corn on top, and serve immediately.