This easy one-pot pasta meal from Jamie Oliver features fresh pasta and sausage smothered in a luxurious tomato sauce. Our testers are calling it a “quick, elegant, comforting meal.”
Ruby Francis, Recipe Tester
A list of all the recipes Ruby Francis has tested.
Ruby Francis has always lived to eat, and so it was a natural progression that she would find herself in professional kitchens–how else can you get the best midday snacks?
After graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in Animal and Dairy Science and dabbling in cheesemaking in the PNW, she took off on a year-long trip to travel the world, work on organic farms, and taste as many new flavors as possible. For her formal training, she attended the incredible 12-Week Certificate Course at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, where fresh from the cow softly whipped cream was a staple in almost every meal.
Since then she’s spent a summer making tortelloni in Italy, worked as a private chef in Hawaii, and returned home to San Francisco, where she currently works as a pastry cook. Despite working in kitchens all day, Ruby is still a devoted home cook and cookbook enthusiast. Joining the recipe testing team at Leite’s has given her endless inspiration along with a real appreciation for the beauty of a truly good recipe; all of which furthers her enthusiasm in pursuing recipe testing and development professionally. You can find her on Instagram at @rubyfrancis.
Carrot Fries with Chipotle Sauce
Need to get your fry fix without breaking your diet? These carrot fries are easy to make, healthy-ish, and come with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce.
Sicilian-Style Roasted Cauliflower
Warmly spiced, roasted cauliflower gets drizzled with a tangy-sweet dressing, making it an irresistible, healthy (and vegan) side dish. Who loves you?
Champagne Butter Clams with Sourdough Toast
Our testers are raving about these buttery clams that are gently simmered in sparkling wine and roasted garlic butter. We’re willing to bet you will be, too.
Date Bars
These date bars are a classic for good reason. The combination of sweet, sticky date filling nestled between layers of buttery oat dough is completely irresistible.
Zucchini Gratin with Fresh Herbs and Goat Cheese
What’s not to love about zucchini that’s smothered in cream, herbs, and two kinds of cheese?
Charred Corn and Scallop Salad with Lime Dressing
Grilled sweet corn, spicy sausage, seared scallops, tangy lime dressing, and a crunchy corn nut topping. Need we say more?
Flatbread with Pancetta, Pear, and Blue Cheese
Pizza night just got a little fancier with this flatbread that’s topped with crispy pancetta cubes, caramelized onions, pear slices, blue cheese, arugula, and balsamic vinegar.
Friulian Polenta
If you think polenta is supremely comforting on its own, wait until you try it smothered in cheese sauce and topped with browned cornmeal butter.
Dairy-Free Crispy Onion Strings
Crispy onion strings make a delish side dish, especially for the holidays. But even better is just eating them, out of hand, dipped in your favorite sauce.
World Peace Cookies 2.0
If world peace was possible just from chocolate, cocoa nibs, and bits of raspberry in a sablé biscuit, well, things would be a lot different. Start baking and change the world.
Vietnamese Pork Skewers ~ Bun Cha
A Vietnamese take-out favorite at home? Heck yes! Pork skewers with noodles and loads of crunchy, tangy, crisp sides await.
Roasted Squash with Pine Nuts
A sweet and savory side dish that highlights the ever-lovely delicata squash. And pine nuts, those exotic, buttery, little flavor bombs.
Buttery Crab Pasta
Seafood pasta is always a little luxurious—even on Wednesday night, and even when the pasta in question is ready in half an hour.