Summer is the season for ricotta, tomatoes and basil. When tomatoes are sweet and fragrant, and basil is growing abundantly, very little else is needed to create a memorable dish.
One of the pleasures of eating out is returning home inspired to cook my own version of something I have enjoyed. Often it is not only the flavours that stay with me, but also the presentation.
That happened after a meal at Gauge in Brisbane. Among the dishes my friends and I shared was Cow’s ricotta, sansho pepper, heirloom tomatoes and olive. It was beautifully balanced, elegant in its simplicity, and it immediately sparked ideas.
In summer, my parents who lived in Adelaide enjoyed a tomato salad almost every day. The salad was accompanied by fresh cheeses purchased from their local cheese factory, including ricotta, Formaggio Fresco, Bocconcini, Mozzarella and Ricotta salata. Occasionally, the ricotta was still warm.
The Magic of Fresh Herbs
The restaurant used an Asian herb, but what fascinated me most was how easily the character of the dish could be changed simply by choosing a different herb.
Each herb brings its own personality. Thyme adds warmth, oregano and sweet marjoram a Mediterranean fragrance, tarragon a gentle aniseed note, dill freshness, while the many varieties of basil available today each contribute something different. The ingredients remain the same, yet the flavour changes completely.
That flexibility is one of the pleasures of cooking.
A Summer Favourite at Home
The evening after I returned from Brisbane I was cooking for friends. I had excellent tomatoes, fresh cow’s ricotta and an abundance of basil growing on my balcony. The inspiration from Brisbane became my own version.
Presentation mattered almost as much as flavour. My photographs do not quite capture how attractive the dish looked, but it was fresh, colourful and full of natural flavours. Served with good bread or crisp crackers, it made a perfect summer starter.
Recreating the Dish
The restaurant’s version was:
Cow’s ricotta, sansho pepper, heirloom tomatoes and olive.
The ricotta and heirloom tomatoes were easy enough to source.
Sansho pepper (also known as Japanese pepper) has a distinctive citrus freshness, reminiscent of lemon myrtle. It is readily available from many Asian grocers, but there are plenty of alternatives. I enjoy experimenting with different peppercorns and with dried Mexican chillies that I grind fresh. Some are smoky, some earthy, some fruity and others wonderfully hot.
On this occasion I chose pink peppercorns. They added gentle spice, subtle sweetness and looked beautiful against the white ricotta.
Olives — Or Just Their Flavour?
Interestingly, the restaurant did not use whole olives. Instead, the olive flavour came from black olive salt.
More recently I have seen another restaurant use dehydrated olives, which provide an intense burst of flavour and wonderful texture.
For my version, whole olives felt too dominant, so I scattered over a few tiny capers instead. They added the salty contrast I wanted while keeping the presentation delicate. Small leaves of Greek basil completed the dish.
A Sicilian Touch
I also added finely sliced spring onion for freshness.
Next time I may include one of those tender pale-green inner celery stalks, finely sliced. In my family, tomato salads always included onion and celery — the traditional Sicilian way of preparing them. It is a combination I still love.
Bringing Everything Together
I whipped fresh cow’s ricotta with a little salt until smooth and creamy.
The basil oil was simply good-quality extra virgin olive oil blended with basil leaves picked from my balcony and a pinch of salt.
The tomatoes came, as they often do, from one of my trusted fruit and vegetable stallholders at Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market. Starting with excellent produce is what makes a dish like this shine.
With good bread and a glass of chilled wine, it was everything I want from summer cooking: simple, fresh and full of flavour.
TOMATO SALAD WITH GORGONZOLA (INSALATA DI POMODORI E GORGONZOLA)
A SAVOURY COEUR À LA CRÈME to accompany a summer fresh tomato salad or summer vegetables
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