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Good food, kept simple.

Flavor-first home cooking for busy weeknights, slow weekend brunches and something sweet to finish. Short shopping lists, simple steps, happy table.

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A wooden table with a tray of roasted vegetables, a herb salad, lemon wedges, olive oil and fresh sourdough bread

On the menu

Six recipes we make again and again

A stack of lemon ricotta pancakes with butter, maple syrup and blueberries

Brunch · 25 min · Serves 4

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Tall, fluffy and a little bit fancy. Ricotta keeps them tender, lemon zest makes them sing, and maple syrup does the rest.

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Ingredients

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt
  • 1 cup ricotta
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup, plus more to serve
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • Fresh blueberries to serve

Method

  1. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
  2. In another bowl whisk ricotta, milk, eggs, maple syrup, lemon zest and melted butter.
  3. Fold wet into dry until just combined — a few lumps are fine.
  4. Cook ¼-cup scoops on a buttered pan over medium heat, about 2 minutes per side.
  5. Stack high and top with butter, blueberries and plenty of syrup.
Lemon and dill roasted salmon on a sheet pan with cherry tomatoes and green beans

Dinner · 35 min · Serves 4

Lemon Dill Sheet-Pan Salmon

One pan, bright lemon, blistered tomatoes and tender green beans. Dinner is on the table before the oven fully cools.

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Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets (or one large side)
  • 2 cups green beans, trimmed
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 2 lemons — one sliced, one juiced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Small bunch fresh dill
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C).
  2. Toss beans and tomatoes with 2 tbsp oil, salt and pepper on a sheet pan. Roast 10 minutes.
  3. Mix remaining oil, garlic, lemon juice and chopped dill. Brush over the salmon.
  4. Nestle salmon among the vegetables, top with lemon slices and roast 12–14 minutes.
  5. Finish with extra dill and serve straight from the pan.
A bowl of creamy tomato basil rigatoni topped with parmesan and fresh basil

Dinner · 25 min · Serves 4

Creamy Tomato Basil Rigatoni

A silky tomato cream sauce that clings to every tube of pasta. Pantry ingredients, restaurant-worthy bowl.

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb rigatoni
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup grated parmesan
  • Large handful fresh basil
  • Salt, black pepper and chili flakes

Method

  1. Boil rigatoni in well-salted water until al dente. Save a cup of pasta water.
  2. Melt butter, add garlic and a pinch of chili flakes and cook 1 minute.
  3. Add tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes, then stir in the cream.
  4. Toss in the pasta, parmesan and a splash of pasta water until glossy.
  5. Tear over basil and serve with extra parmesan.
Chickpea salad with cucumber, tomatoes, feta and parsley in a ceramic bowl

Lunch · 15 min · Serves 4

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Crunchy cucumber, sweet tomatoes and salty feta in a zesty lemon dressing. Even better the next day, so make extra.

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Ingredients

  • 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 English cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ red onion, finely chopped
  • ½ cup crumbled feta
  • Handful flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 tbsp olive oil + juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper

Method

  1. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
  2. Add chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes and onion. Toss well.
  3. Fold in parsley and feta just before serving.
  4. Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Two jars of overnight oats topped with blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and almonds

Breakfast · 5 min + overnight · Serves 2

Berry Almond Overnight Oats

Stir it together before bed and wake up to a creamy, ready-to-go breakfast topped with whatever berries are in season.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon
  • 1 cup mixed berries
  • 2 tbsp toasted sliced almonds

Method

  1. Stir oats, milk, yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon together.
  2. Divide between two jars, cover and refrigerate overnight.
  3. In the morning, top with berries and almonds. Enjoy cold.
Brown butter chocolate chip cookies with flaky salt cooling on a wire rack

Dessert · 30 min · Makes 18

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy middles, crisp golden edges, nutty brown butter and big pools of dark chocolate. The cookie jar never stays full.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt
  • 8 oz dark chocolate, chopped
  • Flaky sea salt for the tops

Method

  1. Cook butter in a pan until golden and nutty-smelling. Cool 10 minutes.
  2. Whisk in both sugars, then the eggs and vanilla.
  3. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt, then fold in the chocolate.
  4. Scoop onto a lined tray and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes.
  5. Sprinkle with flaky salt while still warm.

Kitchen tricks

Little things that make food taste better

01

Salt the pasta water

It should taste like the sea. It’s the only chance to season the pasta itself, so don’t be shy.

02

Keep a lemon handy

A squeeze of citrus and a pinch of flaky salt can wake up almost any dish in seconds.

03

Brown your butter

Five extra minutes on the stove turns plain butter toasty and nutty — magic in cookies, pasta and pancakes.

About

A home kitchen, shared.

Vitessa Kitchen is a small collection of recipes we actually cook at home — weeknight dinners, lazy brunches and plenty of baking. Simple steps, everyday ingredients and lots of flavor, for the people around your table.