Here is a laid-back, unfussy salad that takes no time to prepare and is a great accompaniment to a summer pasta. It’s also good on its own for lunch.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups ricotta
  • cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves, more for garnish
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup pine nuts
  • 8 to 10 cups (loosely packed) mixed salad leaves
  • 2 heads Belgian endive, torn into pieces
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Paprika

    8 to 10 servings

    Preparation

    1. Place ricotta in a mixing bowl and break up with a fork. Tear basil leaves into pieces, and toss with ricotta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    2. Place a small dry skillet over medium heat, and add pine nuts. Stir constantly until nuts are darkly golden. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
    3. Arrange salad leaves on a large platter and sprinkle with Belgian endive. In a small bowl, combine vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle mixture over salad greens, and toss. Spread pine nuts evenly over greens.
    4. Drop small mounds of ricotta mixture onto greens. Dust ricotta with paprika, and garnish platter with basil leaves. Serve.

    20 minutes

    Dining and Cooking