Here in Italy, my local supermarket often has the most sublime fresh ricotta. There are also wonderful fresh artichokes…. But they involve fussy preparation, so true to the Saucy Dressings’ Life Is Too Short philosophy, we are using ready-prepared artichoke hearts in this recipe, and frugally also using the oil in which they come to reheat and liven them up.

It goes well with chicken, or with ham.

Recipe for artichoke and ricotta salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 x 280g/10 oz sliced artichoke hearts in garlic and parsley, and olive oil
• 70g/3 oz bag rocket
• 1 tbsp capers
• 125g/½ cup ricotta
• 4 tbsps pine nuts
• Some shavings of hard cheese (optional, I use peccorino)
• ½ small preserved lemon (optional)
• 1 tbsp white balsamic condiment

Method

1. Heat the artichoke hearts on a griddle, together with a little of their oil.
2. Add the pine nuts, to toast them a little.
3. Lay the rocket (wash if necessary) out on a platter or in a salad bowl.
4. Distribute the capers over the bed of rockets.
5. Distribute the ricotta in small dabs all over the rocket.
6. Distribute the artichoke hearts and pine nuts over the rocket bed as well.
7. Scatter over the hard cheese shavings, and thinly sliced preserved lemon if using.
8. Dress the whole with a dressing of about 4 tbsps of the remaining artichoke oil, the balsamic condiment and some salt and pepper… even a little honey.