Ricotta Cheese Dumplings in Tomato and Vegetable Sauce

Steps

1. oven to 180°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Grease a medium baking or lasagne style dish (measuring about 20 x 30cm).
2. Cut pita breads into quarters. Toss with oil on prepared tray and season with salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer (pita breads can overlap slightly) and bake for 15 minutes, until golden and crispy. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Increase oven temperature to 220°C.
3. While pita breads bake, combine all ricotta cheese dumpling ingredients together in a medium bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix until mixture comes together to form into a dough ball. Place in fridge to firm up while you prepare the sauce.
4. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium pot on medium heat. Cook onion and carrot for 4 minutes, until soft. Add dumpling spice mix and cook for 1 minute. Add passata and bring to the boil, reduce heat to low to simmer for 6 minutes, stirring, until thick. Stir in sweet chilli, basil, spinach and season.
5. Use a tablespoon to measure out dumpling mixture then roll into balls. Pour sauce into prepared dish, spreading to cover base. Push dumplings into sauce and space evenly in rows, with tops of dumplings visible. Sprinkle over cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.
6. While dumplings are baking, prepare salad. In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise and lemon juice together until smooth. Finely slice lettuce and spinach and cut tomatoes in half. Add to bowl with dressing just before serving and toss to coat. Remove dumplings from oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
7. Spoon ricotta cheese dumplings and sauce onto plates. Serve with salad and crispy pitas on the side and garnish with remaining basil leaves.