Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes & Fresh Ricotta

Sure, those tomatoes at the store look lovely, but most have no flavor. So, wait until you've got a couple of handfuls of red, orange and yellow gems before making this recipe, adapted from On Top of Spaghetti. I used a few tablespoons of sweet onion instead of shallot and a little less olive oil, as well as omitted the sherry vinegar, and the results were spectacular.

Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes & Fresh Ricotta

1 cup fresh ricotta
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced shallot or sweet onion
2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup mixed herbs, chopped (basil, thyme, chives, fresh oregano)
1 pound pasta
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh Grana Padano (optional)

Mix the ricotta and parsley, along with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

In another small bowl, mix the shallot or onion with vinegar; allow to soften and get a little more mild while the pasta cooks. Core and dice the tomatoes. Just before the pasta is done, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, herbs, onion and vinegar. Check for seasoning.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with the tomato mixture. Put a large spoonful or two of ricotta on each serving of pasta. Garnish with Grana Padano, if desired.

Fresh Ricotta

While you can easily get a quality whole milk ricotta cheese at your local market, there's something to be said for making it at home. This ricotta tastes so good, you'll be tempted to eat it right out of the cheesecloth, with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Some recipes call for lemon juice and heavy cream, but you'll have a time trying to get ultra-pasteurized heavy cream to curdle, no matter how much acid you use... and that's often all that's available at some grocers. Keep in mind that with this recipe, adapted from Michael Chiarello, you'll only get about 1 1/2 to 2 cups ricotta total, so consider making a double batch.

1/2 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk

Pour the milk and buttermilk into a large nonreactive saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring the mixture frequently to prevent scorching. Once the mixture is warm, stop stirring. As the milk heats, curds will begin to rise and clump on the surface. As the curds begin to form, gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula to release any stuck curds.

When the mixture reaches 175 to 180 degrees on a candy thermometer, the curds and whey will separate. Remove the pan from the heat. Slowly ladle the curds into a sieve lined with cheesecloth placed over a large bowl. Lift the sides of the cloth to help the liquid drain and try to avoid pressing on the curds. Allow the ricotta to drain until the dripping stops, approximately 15 minutes.

Place ricotta in an airtight container. Refrigerate and use within 1 week.