Mini Tarte Flambée with Wild Garlic and Eggs

Layers of tender spinach, creamy ricotta, and gooey mozzarella — a meatless classic that satisfies every time.

• 12 lasagna sheets
• 500g spinach (1 lb)
• 500g ricotta (2 cups)
• 400g tomato passata (14 oz)
• 200g mozzarella (7 oz)
• 100g Parmesan (1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Fresh basil
• Salt, pepper, nutmeg

📋 Steps

1. Sauté garlic in a bit of oil until fragrant. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 3-4 min. Drain excess liquid and let cool slightly.
2. In a bowl, mix ricotta with half the Parmesan, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Stir in the wilted spinach.
3. Spread a thin layer of passata in a 9×13 baking dish.
4. Layer: lasagna sheets → passata → spinach-ricotta mixture → mozzarella. Repeat layers 3-4 times.
5. Top with remaining passata and a generous layer of Parmesan.
6. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 min until golden and bubbling. Rest 10 min before slicing.
7. Garnish with fresh basil.

📊 Nutrition: 430 cal · 22g protein · 18g fat · 44g carbs · 5g fiber

A bright, one-pot pasta that captures the essence of spring in every creamy bite.

• 320g risoni/orzo (11 oz)
• 200g chicken (7 oz), diced
• 1 cup mixed spring vegetables (peas, asparagus, carrots), diced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup Parmesan, grated
• 2 tbsp butter
• Salt, pepper

📋 Steps

1. Brown diced chicken in butter over medium-high heat until golden, about 4 min. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pan, add vegetables and sauté 2 min.
3. Add risoni and stir 1 min to toast slightly.
4. Begin adding broth one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently — cook like risotto, adding more broth as it's absorbed.
5. After about 14 min (when risoni is tender and creamy), return chicken to the pan.
6. Finish with Parmesan, butter, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.

📊 Nutrition: 395 cal · 24g protein · 12g fat · 48g carbs · 3g fiber

A show-stopping rolled roast with a vibrant green stuffing — perfect for Sunday dinner or holiday entertaining.

• 1 kg (2 lb) pork or beef roast
• 300g spinach (10 oz)
• 100g wild garlic leaves (3.5 oz), or 3 garlic cloves + handful parsley
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• ½ cup Parmesan, grated
• 2 cloves garlic
• Salt, pepper, olive oil
• Kitchen twine

📋 Steps

1. Blanch spinach and wild garlic leaves in boiling salted water for 30 seconds. Drain, squeeze dry, and chop finely.
2. Mix chopped greens with breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Butterfly the roast: slice horizontally almost all the way through, open like a book, and pound to even thickness.
4. Spread the stuffing evenly over the roast. Roll tightly and tie with kitchen twine at 2-inch intervals.
5. Season the outside with salt and pepper. Sear in olive oil on all sides until deeply browned, about 5 min.
6. Transfer to a roasting pan. Roast at 350°F (175°C) for 1½ hours, or until internal temperature reaches 145°F (pork) or 135°F (beef, medium-rare).
7. Rest 10 min before removing twine and slicing into thick rounds.

📊 Nutrition: 385 cal · 42g protein · 18g fat · 10g carbs · 2g fiber

Elegant cannelloni filled with smoked salmon and ricotta, baked in béchamel with a vibrant wild garlic pesto.

• 12 cannelloni tubes
• 400g smoked salmon (14 oz)
• 300g ricotta (1¼ cups)
• 2 cups béchamel sauce (2 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp flour + 2 cups milk)
• ½ cup wild garlic pesto (wild garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, olive oil)
• Salt, pepper

📋 Steps

1. Finely chop smoked salmon. Mix with ricotta and black pepper.
2. Prepare béchamel: melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 min. Slowly whisk in milk and cook until thickened, about 5 min. Season with salt and nutmeg.
3. Spread a thin layer of béchamel on the bottom of a baking dish.
4. Fill cannelloni tubes with the salmon-ricotta mixture (using a piping bag or small spoon).
5. Arrange filled cannelloni in the dish. Top with remaining béchamel.
6. Spoon wild garlic pesto over the top in dollops.
7. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 min until golden and bubbling. Rest 5 min before serving.

📊 Nutrition: 480 cal · 28g protein · 22g fat · 42g carbs · 2g fiber

Crispy Alsatian-style flatbreads topped with creamy crème fraîche, wild garlic, bacon, and a runny egg.

• 1 lb tarte flambée dough (or pizza dough)
• ½ cup crème fraîche
• 1 cup wild garlic leaves, thinly sliced
• ½ onion, thinly sliced
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 4 eggs
• Salt, pepper

📋 Steps

1. Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a baking stone or inverted sheet pan inside.
2. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll each paper-thin into an oval or rectangle.
3. Spread crème fraîche thinly over each piece, leaving a small border.
4. Top with wild garlic, sliced onion, and bacon bits.
5. Carefully crack an egg onto the center of each tart.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Slide onto the hot baking surface. Bake 8-10 min until crust is crispy and egg white is set but yolk is still runny.
8. Serve immediately.

Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 1 · Pasta Perfetto. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.