​My obsession with lemons is real, I love them, I love desserts made from them and I am always on the lookout for lemon based desserts.

I had a little ricotta leftover in my fridge, I wanted to make a Erbazzone Reggiano Pie for dinner, but I didn't want to make pastry today, so instead I went about trying to find other ideas on how to use up the ricotta, and I stumbled upon this recipe. 

This is quick and easy to make and you get a light, fluffy and delicious cake. The texture is like no other cake I make, it's slightly creamy in the centre, yet light and fluffy as you get to the edge. It's a cake I truly love with a cup of coffee for breakfast, afternoon tea or for dessert.

As there is a bit of beating, a free standing mixer is ideal, as it makes the job so much easier, but a hand held mixer is just fine.

This cake keeps well both at room temperature and in the fridge. The ricotta makes it moist and rich tasting.

I haven't done it yet, but I will one day make two of these cakes and then sandwich them together with a lemon cream cheese frosting, I think it will be delicious.

So if you want to try a simple yet delicious cake to have with coffee, this is the one for you.

​Recipe adapted from thisitaliankitchen.com/ 

Serves 8-10

170g butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
425g full fat ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups flour
pure icing sugar, for dusting
​

Preheat oven to 175C/155C fan forced. Grease a 23cm round springform tin using butter or cooking spray; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl of a free standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until combined. Add in the ricotta cheese and blend until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add in the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix to combine. In the same bowl, stir in the baking soda and salt. Lastly, add in the flour and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of bowl to full incorporate all of the ingredients.

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing the collar and base of the pan. Cool on a wire rack and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

To save the recipe to your favourites go to www.whatscookingella.com/italian-lemon-ricotta-cake.html 
Pin it: www.pinterest.com.au/pin/399413060717415077/

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #whatscookingella

​Recipe adapted from Magdalena Roze's cookbook Happy and Whole

Serves 6-8
2kg tomatoes, roughly chopped 
1 zucchini, roughly chopped
1 red capsicum, deseeded and roughly chopped
400g pumpkin, deseeded and roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
3cm knob of ginger, roughly chopped
3cm knob of turmeric, roughly chopped
5 basil sprigs, leaves and stems separated
1 sprig of rosemary
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
3 cups (750ml) chicken or vegetable stock
Basil leaves, to serve
Creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt, to serve (optional)
​Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
sea salt and pepper, to taste


Preheat the oven to 120C/100C fan forced.

Place the vegetables, garlic, ginger, turmeric basil stems (keep the leaves for serving), and rosemary in a roasting tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place the tray into the oven, uncovered, and slow roast the veggies for 2-3 hours (I do 3 hours, as I had the time), tossing occasionally, about every 40 minutes. The house will smell amazing!

Transfer the roasted veggies and any liquid from the tray into a large saucepan or pot and use a stick blender to puree the mixture. Add the stock, one cup at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency and bring to the boil, I use all the stock). Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat. Taste for seasoning.

Serve with fresh basil leaves, a dollop of crème fraiche or yoghurt, or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (or even pesto if you have it).

To save the recipe to your favourites go to www.whatscookingella.com/slow-roasted-tomato-and-turmeric-soup.html 
Pin it: www.pinterest.com.au/pin/399413060717315537/​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​Sometimes my family feel like chocolate chip cookies but I just don't feel like making them, they take time and energy, to scoop, roll and bake multiple batches, and sometimes I'm just not in the mood. Then I discovered this recipe and I have never looked back. These are delicious and they come together so quickly, no mixer, just a bowl, a whisk and a spatula. 

My kids love them warm, chewy and gooey, I love them once they've set, though my kids love them once set also.

Now there will always be a place for my favourite chocolate chip cookies, but these are fabulous on those days when I need to whip up something quick for the kids.

​Trust me when I say once you have tried these, you'll keep making them.

​Recipe adapted from kristinakuzmic.com/

Makes 24-30 pieces

170g butter, melted and slightly cooled
185g light brown sugar
 105g caster sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
315g all-purpose flour
2 cups chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
​

Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan forced. Line a 22cm x 33cm baking pan with baking paper longer than the pan, so that it hangs over the edges of the pan.  Spray the baking paper with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, both sugars and vanilla.

Add egg and egg yolk, mix until combined.

Add salt, baking soda and flour. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon start folding the flour into the wet ingredients.

Add the chocolate chips and mix until combined. (The dough will be very thick.)

Press the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 24 minutes, until the bars are light golden brown on the edges.

Leave in pan to cool for approximately 10 minutes. 

​I leave them in the pan and cut them into small rectangles, just use a pointy ended knife to get into the edges of the pan, but you can carefully remove the bars from the pan by lifting the baking paper overhang and transfer them to a cutting board and then cutting it into small rectangles.

To save the recipe to your favourites go to www.whatscookingella.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-bars.html 
Pin it: www.pinterest.com.au/pin/314689092727916227

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #whatscookingella