Garden Salad with Ricotta Salata

I’ve failed miserably growing lettuce this year but very successful with rocket and various herbs, particularly mint. Both joined little gem lettuce with quickly pickled cucumber in this lovely so-called garden salad. I topped it with hard-boiled egg and grated hard ricotta, a new discovery. Ricotta salata is made with the whey part of sheep milk, salted and aged and reminiscent of Greek feta meets halloumi both in texture and delicate flavour. It grates and slices perfectly. You can make your own with guidance from google but it came by mistake (for regular soft ricotta) in the Ocado delivery.

Serves 2

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 10 min

8cm cucumber

1 tbsp cider or wine vinegar

2 eggs

100g frozen petits pois

1 little gem lettuce heart

handful of rocket

8 cherry tomatoes

few sprigs of mint

1 tbsp mayonnaise

3 tbsp vinaigrette

100g ricotta salata or halloumi

     Use a potato peeler to peel the cucumber. Halve lengthways and use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds. Slice across the halves to make thin half moons. Place on a plate and splash with vinegar then move around the pieces so they all get coated with vinegar. Place eggs and peas in a small pan with water to cover. Boil for 8 minutes. Drain into a sieve and splash with cold water to cool. Crack all over the egg and remove the shell. Separate the lettuce leaves, make a pile and halve lengthways. Rinse and shake dry. Rinse the rocket and shake dry. Halve the tomatoes. Chop the mint. Place the mayo in a mixing bowl and stir in the vinaigrette. Add lettuce, rocket, peas, tomatoes, mint and cucumber. Toss thoroughly then lift onto 2 serving plates. Top with halved egg and grate cheese over the top.