The Longest Night, Wombeling in Wimbledon; and Spaghetti with Wild Mushroom, Ricotta and Spinach Sauce

Yesterday was the Winter Solstice,Shortest Day, Midwinter and the First day of winter, which is all a bit confusing...

Hurray the nights will start getting longer.  But don't you just love peeping into peoples' windows on dark winter nights...they just look so cosy. I always imagine mums and dads cooking supper in the kitchen or running bed time baths for the kiddies whilst they are reading story books under the Christmas tree. I did a bit of that last night on our way back from the shops...(the peeping) which almost caused me to trip over a tree stump!

We caught up with H in Wimbledon, who had a mid-week day off work whilst she did a bit of last minute Christmas shopping. All her housemates had gone home for Christmas. Then back to her house to cook together...all three of us...I love doing that.  We made spaghetti, with Bolognese sauce for A and H, and wild mushrooms with Ricotta cheese for me...it was delicious.  Here's my recipe:

Spaghetti with Wild Mushroom, Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Sauce.

Ingredients for one person:

• One third of a tub of Ricotta cheese
• A couple of handfuls of wild mushrooms, I used a mixture of Chanterelle and Oyster mushrooms
• Half a small onion, chopped finely
• A couple of crushed cloves of garlic
• Fresh or dried spaghetti or linguini
• Half a small sweet pepper chopped finely
• A handful of plain white mushrooms, sliced thinly
• A handful of baby spinach leaves
• Olive oil 
• Sea salt and crushed black pepper
• 
  

Method:

1. Sautee the chopped onion in olive oil in a frying pan until soft and caramelised.
2. Add the garlic and cook for a further couple of minutes.
3. Add the sweet pepper and mushrooms, season and continue to cook until soft.
4. Add the wild mushrooms and cook until soft  before adding the Ricotta cheese.
5. Meanwhile make the pasta. Use a little of the pasta water if the sauce needs thinning down.
6. Add a handful of baby spinach leaves in the last few minutes.
7. Drain the pasta and serve with the lovely garlicky sauce...mmm...

This is so easy to make. The wild mushrooms add a lovely depth of flavour and even a nice peach  colour to the sauce...a really quick tasty supper.

After supper H made us comfy on the sofa's drew up the pouf for our feet and we settled down to watch Shutter Island...I even managed to get some knitting done...before we drove back home.

Perfect way to spend the Winter Solstice ...mid...or otherwise...


...thanks H...