The Cooks Collection

🍝 Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Ricotta Pasta 🍅

Ruffled mafaldine pasta tossed in a rich, garlicky sun-dried tomato cream sauce, finished with a generous dollop of fresh ricotta, roasted cherry tomatoes, basil, and chili crisp for the perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and spicy.

Ingredients (serves 4)
Pasta & Sauce:
• 12 oz (340g) mafaldine, pappardelle, or rigatoni
• ½ cup (100g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small shallot or ½ onion, finely diced
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (plus more to taste)
• 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream or half-and-half
• ½ cup (120ml) pasta water (reserved)
• ½ cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp olive oil (from sun-dried tomato jar)
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Toppings:
• ¾–1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 cup roasted cherry tomatoes (or extra sun-dried tomatoes)
• Fresh basil leaves
• Fresh thyme or oregano (optional)
• Chili crisp or chili oil
• Extra Parmesan and black pepper
Instructions
1 Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until 1–2 minutes before al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
2 Make the sauce: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot/onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook 1–2 minutes.
3 Finish sauce: Pour in heavy cream and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Add Parmesan and a splash of pasta water, stirring until creamy. Season generously with salt and pepper.
4 Combine: Add drained pasta to the skillet with more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Toss until well coated and glossy.
5 Serve: Divide into bowls. Top each with a big spoonful of ricotta, roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, herbs, extra black pepper, and a drizzle of chili oil.
Pro tip: Warm the ricotta slightly or whip it for an extra fluffy texture. Use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar for deeper flavor.
I picked up some beautiful sun-dried tomatoes and ricotta and wanted a quick but impressive dinner. I simmered a creamy sauce with plenty of garlic and chili, tossed in the wavy pasta, then loaded up each bowl with ricotta, roasted tomatoes, and fresh herbs. The combination of the silky sauce, tangy cheese, and sweet tomatoes was absolutely perfect — comforting yet bright and ready in under 30 minutes.

🍝 Spaghetti ai Frutti di Mare (Seafood Pasta) 🍤

A vibrant Italian coastal classic: al dente pasta tossed in a garlicky white wine sauce with juicy shrimp, mussels, clams, and tender calamari or other shellfish, finished with fresh herbs, lemon, and a hint of chili.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)
Pasta & Sauce:
• 1 lb (450g) dried spaghetti or linguine
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6-8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup seafood stock or clam juice
• 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes or fresh cherry tomatoes, halved (optional for light red tint)
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice + zest from 1 lemon
Seafood (fresh or thawed):
• 1 lb large shrimp/prawns (shell-on for flavor, deveined)
• 1 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 lb littleneck clams, scrubbed
• ½ lb calamari rings or additional shrimp (optional)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (plus more for garnish)
• Optional: fresh basil or oregano
Instructions
1 Prep seafood: Soak clams and mussels in cold salted water for 20 minutes to purge sand. Rinse well. Devein shrimp if needed, leaving tails on.
2 Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Cook pasta until 1-2 minutes before al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
3 Make the sauce: In a large deep skillet or pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant (1-2 minutes, do not brown). Add white wine and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in seafood stock/clam juice and tomatoes if using. Bring to a gentle simmer.
4 Cook seafood: Add clams and mussels first, cover and cook 3-5 minutes until they start to open. Add shrimp and calamari; cook 2-4 minutes until shrimp turn pink and seafood is just cooked. Discard any unopened shells.
5 Combine: Add drained pasta to the pan along with a splash of pasta water and lemon juice/zest. Toss vigorously over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until sauce coats the noodles beautifully. Stir in fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.
6 Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Pro tip: Use the shrimp shells to quickly simmer a flavorful stock while prepping for deeper seafood taste. Don’t overcook the seafood — it continues cooking off the heat.
I threw this together on a sunny afternoon with the freshest seafood I could find. The kitchen filled with the aroma of garlic, white wine, and lemon as the mussels and clams popped open. Tossing the perfectly cooked pasta right in the pan with all those juicy shrimp and briny shellfish created the most beautiful summery dish. Every bite felt like a trip to the Italian coast — fresh, bright, and completely satisfying.

🍌 Banana Cream Pie Doughnuts 🍩

Golden, sugar-coated fried doughnuts filled with silky homemade banana pudding, topped with a swirl of whipped cream or custard and a fresh banana slice — the ultimate mashup of banana cream pie and classic doughnuts.

Ingredients (makes 8-10 doughnuts)
Dough:
• 1 cup (240ml) warm whole milk
• 2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
• ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups (480g) all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
• ½ tsp salt
• Vegetable oil or neutral frying oil (for deep frying, about 2 quarts)
Banana Pudding Filling (from scratch):
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: ½ tsp banana extract for extra flavor
Topping:
• ½ cup granulated sugar (for coating)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 fresh bananas, sliced
• Optional: cinnamon or nutmeg for dusting
Instructions
1 Make the dough: Activate yeast in warm milk with a pinch of sugar. Let sit 5-10 minutes until foamy. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine yeast mixture, remaining sugar, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Add flour and salt gradually. Knead 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1-1½ hours until doubled.
2 Shape & second rise: Roll dough to ½-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut into 3-4 inch rounds. Place on parchment-lined tray, cover, and let rise another 30-45 minutes.
3 Fry: Heat oil to 350-375°F (175-190°C). Fry doughnuts 1-2 minutes per side until deep golden. Drain on paper towels, then toss in granulated sugar while still warm.
4 Make banana pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in milk and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (4-6 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in mashed bananas, butter, and vanilla. Strain if desired for smoothness. Cool completely, then chill.
5 Assemble: Poke a hole in the side of each cooled doughnut and pipe in banana pudding. Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks. Pipe or dollop on top of each doughnut and finish with a banana slice. Serve immediately.
Pro tip: Toss the banana slices in a little lemon juice to prevent browning. For bakery-style, fill while the doughnuts are still slightly warm so the pudding melts slightly into the dough.
I had some extra ripe bananas and decided to turn them into something special. After making a big batch of yeasted dough and frying up these perfect golden rings, I cooked a rich banana pudding from scratch and filled each one. Topping them with fresh cream and banana slices made them look (and taste) like little banana cream pies in doughnut form. That first bite — crispy sugar shell, soft dough, creamy banana filling — was pure bliss.