Ricotta and white bean salad
This is what you can call a golden oldie… I was looking for this recipe and than realised I hadn’t moved it over from the old site to the new. This was the original entry for the very first Donna Hay styling challenge all the way back in 2009. I did that challenge once a month for almost a year if I remember correctly. The challenge was to recreate a photo from one of the Donna Magazines and do it as close to the original as possible. Never to start copying but only for practice. I still think that one of the best ways to learn is by looking at the photos of people you admire and try and think how they took that shot. I learned a lot that way.. I would have probably done it completely different in this day and age but at the time I thought it wasn’t too bad.. π

The original image by Chris Court
The original image is shot by one of my heroes; Chris Court and as you can see is a whole lot bluer than mine if you look at them side by side. I took this picture with artificial light for the only reason that I hadn’t used daylight at that point with food. Weird huh… Thinking about the fact that I hardly ever use artificial light these days. but back than I seriously hadn’t used daylight much given that I did people shots mostly in the studio.
The weather is progressively getting darker day by day though and I will bring out the big guns soon as I hate having to keep food and redo it in the morning. Plus I tend to not have time in the morning either… My first workshop with artificial light is this wednesday and it’s fully booked. But I will be planning a second one later too. Just need to check availability of the location and such.
But for now I’m sharing this delicious dish!
Ricotta and white bean salad
Ingredients
- 400 g cannellini beans (or white beans, 1 can)
- 1 red onion small
- 30 g black olived pitted and halved
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves only
- 1-2 red chili small and sliced
- 125 g cherry tomatoes halved
- seasalt
- black pepper cracked
- 100 g ricotta fresh
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Place the beans, onion, olives, parsley, chilli, tomato, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss gently to combine. Divide between serving plates and top with fresh ricotta. Combine the oil and vinegar and spoon over the salad to serve.
Disclaimer
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
A scrumptious bean salad. Wholesome and colorful. I love both versions…
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks Rosa!
I remember this from your old site and it is a great little salad, just what we love to put together for a light lunch. But we always use feta and I’m thinking what a really nice change ricotta would be!
Yes it’s a very quick and delicious meal. Perfect for a quick weekend lunch I would say. I’d think feta would definitely be perfect too!
I like your photo best. I also love this salad!
O thanks Maureen!
I like the color temperature on yours way better — the other is too blue IMO. Good recipe — thanks.
Thanks so much John! I’m not sure I would even know how to make it so blu-ish anyway… π
I think your photo is even better than the original! And what a scrumptious salad!
O thanks so much Liz! And yes a total winner this salad!