Ricotta

Serves 4 Even though asparagus spears are in markets many months of the year, they're best freshly harvested from local farms. The green spears are the shoots of a perennial lily bulb. When the soil is warm enough the spears shoot up through the surface and head straight for the sun. They grow fast, and are ready to eat, long and thick, just a day after they break through the dirt. For a springtime pasta that stars asparagus, slice thick spears on a diagonal. Cook them in butter with chili flakes and toss with farfalle (the Italian word means butterfly)

43 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington 781-202-3570 chateaurestaurant.com Sunday and Monday, 11:15 a.m.-9 p.m.; Tuesday, 11:15 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 11:15 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:15 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Major credit cards accepted Handicapped-accessible BURLINGTON – When ­Joseph and Mary Nocera opened The Chateau at 195 School St. in Waltham...

Serves 8 Olive oil (for the dish) 3 pounds ricotta cheese 3 eggs 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon black...

At Sugar Baking Co. & Restaurant, people will wait for more than an hour for Manchego grits and lemon ricotta pancakes, not to mention the best stuffed French toast known to mankind (left). Picture three thick slices of homemade challah, dipped in milk and egg with a bit of cinnamon. Stuffed between the warm slices is a slab of brie and some fig confiture. The brie melts into a delicious ooze, and the figs add a nice fruity note. SUGAR BAKING CO. & RESTAURANT > 4170 Washington Street, Roslindale, 617-327-4174, sugarbakingcompany.com  — Bella English

Serves 6 The twisted pasta called strozzapreti ("priest stranglers") particularly suits this simple ricotta, fontina, and egg mixture, which catches in the curves of each loop. The dish is layered with mozzarella and topped with crumbs, which brown during baking. The end result is lighter than most mac and cheeses. Olive oil (for the pan) Salt and pepper, to taste 1 pound strozzapreti, penne, shells, or other medium pasta 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup fresh whole-milk...

Makes one 9-inch cake CRUST 1/4 cup sliced almonds 1/4 cup flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ...

Serves 6 The quartet of herbs in Simon and Garfunkel's version of the 17th-century English canticle "Scarborough Fair" is more than a familiar refrain. The bouquet also makes a savory herb mixture full of symbolism - rosemary for remembrance, sage for wisdom, thyme for courage and happiness, parsley for festivities. They go together so well that at some markets the herbs are packaged together as poultry seasoning. Gather the stems, strip off the leaves, and chop them finely, then sprinkle on pork or fish after grilling or tuck under the skin of chicken before roasting.

Serves 4 Butter (for the dish) Sugar (for sprinkling) 8 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese 2 eggs, separated 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon flour Grated rind of 1 lemon Grated rind of 1 orange 1 ...

Serves 8 You need to roast asparagus, cook mushrooms, then spinach, make a white sauce, and a ricotta mixture. The lasagna noodles go into the dish without preliminary cooking, so you’ll need to bake it over an hour. Allow enough time. The end result is stunning and delicious. 3 bunches asparagus, ends snapped off (about 2 1/2 pounds) 6 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped Salt and pepper, to taste 10 ounces...

Serves 4 With their delicate, tender flesh and thinner, more elongated shape, Italian eggplant - they’re dark purple, like regular eggplant - are great to stuff. Select vegetables that are firm to the touch and have no wrinkles. Halve the eggplant, brush them with oil, and bake them until they’re soft enough to scoop out the flesh. For the stuffing, saute a shallot with garlic and ground coriander, and add fresh tomatoes and the flesh of the eggplant. Stir in ricotta, fresh herbs, ham, and pecorino cheese.

Spring entertaining means throwing open the doors and letting the party spill onto the patio or a balcony. The air is warm, the trees leafy again, the flower garden showing its first blooms. And there are all those graduations and weddings to celebrate. For these events, a buffet is tailor-made. But not the kind of spread where foods sit in heated chafing dishes. Instead, plan a menu of dishes served at room temperature. Think of it as an indoor picnic that is easy to eat with forks, plates balanced on laps.

Serves 8 16ounces skim-milk ricotta⅓cup each chopped fresh parsley, chives, and basil2tablespoons chopped fresh tarragonGrated rind of 2 lemons2teaspoons Dijon mustardSalt and pepper, to taste 1. In a bowl, whisk the ricotta, parsley, chives, basil, tarragon, lemon rind, mustard, salt, and pepper. 2. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. Transfer to a bowl and serve with crackers. Sheryl Julian

In November 2005, I started a food blog that I called La Tartine Gourmande: tartine (an open-faced sandwich commonly eaten in France), because I prepare and eat them so frequently, and gourmande (someone who enjoys food), because it defines me so well. And now, it is a cookbook. Whenever I walk into my kitchen, I am inspired to try new things and prepare more beautiful, healthy foods. I want my friends and family to taste and build memories around these foods, too. La Tartine Gourmande: Recipes for an Inspired Life is all about that.

When Bina Osteria opened in 2008, reaction fell into two camps: 1) The food is incredible! 2) The food is expensive! The restaurant didn't look stereotypically upscale. It was modern, sleek, not too formal. Some found the decor stark. The menu, however, was sophisticated, offering quail cooked in hay, suckling pig confit compressed into rich ingots, and some of the dreamiest gnocchi I've ever eaten. Perhaps it was hard for diners to wrap their minds around opening chef Brian Konefal's elegantly interpreted Italian cuisine, served in a room that felt relatively casual, resulting in a...

1 stick butter ½ cup grated Parmesan ½ cup ricotta 3 tablespoons heavy cream 4 eggs 2 pounds Brussels sprouts 1 pound mixed mushrooms (button, shiitake, baby portobello) 5 cloves garlic 1 onion Handful fresh chives Handful fresh thyme sprigs Salt and pepper ½ cup canola oil 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup balsamic vinegar 3 cups Arborio rice 1 bay leaf 1 cup white wine ½ cup pine nuts 1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs

Serves 6   Cooked rice and vegetable mixture   1 ½   cups panko bread crumbs     Salt and pepper, to taste   6   tablespoons canola oil   3   tablespoons butter   1. Set the oven at 300 degrees. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. 2. In a large bowl, combine rice mixture, panko, salt, and pepper. Form 12 even-size patties. 3. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons canola oil. When it is hot, add 1 tablespoon butter.

Serves 8 There are several local brands of fresh ricotta available. You want a soft, white, almost fluffy cheese. It’s surprisingly good with nothing but a drizzle of olive oil, coarse salt, and mint, but you can also add capers or chopped olives. 1 pound fresh ricotta 1 tablespoon good-quality olive oil Coarse salt, to taste 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 1 French baguette, cut on the diagonal into thin slices 1. ...

Serves 6 PASTRY 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (about 8-by-12 inches), thawed for 15 minutes 1 tablespoon sugar 1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the puff pastry onto the sheet. Using a small knife, score a ½-inch border around the edge of the pastry. Lightly brush the border with water and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. 2. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.