Summertime and the living doesn´t get easier!!!!!

A simple summer supper at casa rosada

6.10am. Awoken by the dawn chorus and as 32C was forecast decided to jump in the car with the dog and head to the beach for a swim before everybody else got there.I bumped into our friend Dorinne who had had the same thought as me - Miles and miles of deserted beach and high tide so perfect for swimming and warm water to boot.
8.00am. Headed home picking up a trial bread loaf from Padaria 125 en route. This bakery had been recommended to me from a while back so thought I would give it a whirl. Bread soft and warm from the oven.
8.30am Cup of tea on a sun lounger in the garden before breakfast of pineapple watermelon and other fresh fruits.
10.oo -12.30. "Mop and bucket" duties as befalls a hotelier!!! couple of hours in the laundry room. Minor fabric repairs and piles of ironing.
1.00 Make a quick tuna and home made mayo sandwich with the trial loaf. Bread no better than our local town baker so will be keeping our loyalties there.
1.30 No guests in the house so off to the beach to catch some rays for the afternoon.
6.15pm. Home and time to muster up some simple supper...

Well as I said above "Summer time and the living is easy". The best thing about summer is that one doesn´t have to work very hard in the kitchen. It´s not about laziness its more that the quality of seasonal produce requires very little effort. mixing simple elements to create sumptuous spontaneous salads. A salad need not be the warm up act to the main star of the show. Prepared with a little ingenuity there is no reason why it shouldn´t be in the spotlight itself. So my choice for supper at Casa Rosada tonight is

A summer pasta salad of ricotta,
cherry tomatoes and rocket

This easy summer salad can be messed with to your hearts content.
Its constitution is in its versatility.Any soft curd type cheese can be used
according to what is available in whatever part of Europe you´re in.
Ricotta, Requeijao, soft goats cheese, Robbiola and feta all work beautifully.
You can add extra herbs if you feel inclined or substitute mint or basil
for the rocket or even have basil with the rocket. Experiment!!!!!!

125g conchiglie pasta per portion
200g small organic cherry tomatoes halved
250g tub of Ricotta
Large handful of chopped rocket
Lashings of extra virgin olive oil
Plentiful freshly ground black peppercorns

Cook the pasta shells, drain and while they are still warm toss with generous extra virgin olive oil, and the freshly ground peppercorns. Stir in the cheese and rocket or herbs of your choice and the chopped cherry tomatoes. Serve warm immediately or chill in the fridge until ready to serve

Remember Easy does it!!!!!