Café Stepping Stone created this light and lovely salad as the perfect addition to a BBQ or summer dinner party. Serve on a large sharing platter with some freshly cut bread to mop up the ricotta.

Ingredients

Whipped ricotta

• 200g ricotta
• 1 small lemon, zest and juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ cup dill
• ¼ cup parsley
• 1/2 tsp sumac
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Black pepper

Salad

• 200g asparagus
• ½ cup peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Large pinch of salt
• Large pinch of sumac
• 1 small lemon, zest
• Black pepper
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled
• 1/2 baby spinach
• 1 small lemon, juice of
• 1/2 cup herbs (dill and parsley)
• Sumac, to serve

Method

1. Combine whipped ricotta ingredients in a small bowl with a spatula or mix in a food processor until smooth. Put into a container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large frypan on medium heat, and add asparagus, salt, sumac and lemon zest, cooking asparagus on all sides until golden brown, about 4 – 6 minutes.
3. Add peas and sauté for 1 minute. Then place the peas and asparagus into a bowl.
4. Using the same frypan (without cleaning it) add your hazelnuts and toast for 3 – 5 minutes, on low heat, stirring frequently until brown. Add to asparagus and peas mixture.
5. Toss the asparagus mixture with the quinoa, baby spinach, herbs and the juice of 1 lemon and set aside.
6. Spread a large serving platter with a layer of ricotta on the bottom, top with salad mix and sprinkle a little bit of sumac and olive oil over the top to serve.