Campanelle Pasta with Walnuts, Ricotta, and Lemon

This pasta and I shared a special moment during my first bite. It actually happened before it was fully assembled, when it was just perfectly salted al dente pasta drizzled with garlic infused olive oil. I hate to brag, but I think it may have been one of the best things I've ever tasted...which just goes to prove that sometimes the simplest of foods are the very best.

There's one thing a little different about this recipe: the ricotta is added at the last possible moment before eating, preferably onto each individual plate. The reason is to prevent it from melting all over the pasta and giving it a gooey coated look. It's also nice to have a pop of sweet ricotta in some bites but not in all. But if this seems like too much of a hassle, you may choose to toss the cheese with the rest of the ingredients. It just won't look as pretty as mine. ;)

Ricotta Mushroom Phyllo Bites

Here is an easy appetizer to make for your next get together. From start time to serve time was only about 30 minutes. Now I admit I did use a vegetable chopper (one of my newest favorite tools) which made chopping the mushrooms a breeze (see picture below).

These phyllos bites are just that, they are bite size, making them the perfect size to just pick up and pop in your mouth.  In fact, when I took a couple over to my husband to try, he did just that, picked up 2 or 3 off the plate and popped them straight into his mouth. (Shortly afterwards I found him making his way into the kitchen to pop a few more in his mouth; I guess he liked them.)

Now, if you have never worked with phyllo dough, here are a couple of tips. Make sure it is completely thawed, or it will crack on you. If you are using a large amount of it, (which you won't for this recipe but will when making baklava), keep them covered with a dampened paper towel. And once you have opened a package of it, use it within a few days, otherwise it becomes dehydrated and becomes very fragile. What you have probably deduced is that phyllo dough, while tasty, is a fragile medium to work with, but if you treat it well, it will treat your taste buds well.