The farmer’s market is in full swing, as evidenced by my increasingly weighty weekly farm share. I’ve been up to my ears in corn, trying to get out of the weeds with all my greens, eating blueberries `til I’m…blue on the face… OK, I’ll stop. I’ve been loving it.
Without any further ado, some pictures and recipes from the first half of the season:
Adolescent Carrots
Look at that gorgeous juicy red!
Bountiful Basil
And last but not least, behold, the terrifying STRAWBERRIES GONE BAD (aka The ‘Roided Ruby):
Strawberries on Steroids
One of the joys of the farmer’s market for me this year has been trying out fresh cheeses as well. A special favorite has been fresh ricotta, which has been making appearances in several places. The first time I brought some home, I was feeling a little cheeky in the kitchen and put together the following dish of strawberries, ricotta, basil, sea salt, pepper and a store-bought balsamic glaze called “Blaze.” I should mention that I LOVE this stuff and use it all the time. Highly recommended. Unfortunately for me, the dish itself was prettier than it tasted.
Fresh, fresh, fresh!
Then, of course, you can’t have fresh basil and ricotta in the house without making pizza!
Ricotta-basil pizza
I make the dough in my bread machine, then do a miserably amateur job of tossing, stretching and hanging the dough before ultimately beating it into a large jelly roll pan (more like a focaccia). Cover with sauce, shredded mozzarella, fresh ricotta, basil (I do a chiffonade), and a Spanish cured black olive to top off each mound of ricotta.
This pizza was amazing, albeit primarily because I finally nailed my crust recipe. It came out with just the right balance of crunchy/chewy golden perfection. Let’s hope I can repeat the experience. Like to try yourself? Here you go:
Pizza Dough
- 1 1/2 c warm water
- 2 T olive oil
- 2 t salt
- 4 1/4 c all-purpose flour
- 2 t sugar
- 2 t yeast
Add to bread machine in order listed, making a well in dry ingredients to pour in the yeast; run dough cycle. Make pizza in large (18×24) jelly roll pan, and cook for 20 minutes at 425.
The Hungry Crafter 
In all of your farmer’s market forays, have you ever come across radish pods? I read about them the other day and now I really want to try them, but I have no clue where I might be able to find them… other than possibly a farmer’s market.
So I asked my friendly farmer about radish pods, and he wasn’t familiar with them (and this was the stand that generally carries the more exotic foods); I will keep my eyes out, though. I’m on a mission! I think I need to read up on them now, myself…
I really enjoy your blog, Jo. I love looking at the pictures… takes me back to those days when Yo and I would cook together or holidays in Hville when people would be busting out the cameras to spotlight the laden table before bustin’ out the forks to put it all down. Nice work.
Thanks, Dan! Glad you’re enjoying it — it’s nice to know people are actually reading. I hadn’t really thought about this as an extension of the Farina compulsion to photograph all meals before eating them, but you’re spot on for sure. I always take a ton of photos too, to make sure I get a good shot — my iPhoto library is pretty ridiculous with all the food pics…
I am totally trying this dough recipe! Thanks!
[…] The best way to make ricotta gnudi, of course, would be to make your own ricotta. My cheesemaking party plans have been stymied for the past year, however, so I was more than happy to use the fresh ricotta from Narragansett Creamery instead (see prior raves here and here). […]