Baked ricotta cake with anchovies, roasted tomatoes and chillis is a sublime flavour combination, although making this dish in Hong Kong will set you back a few dollars - probably about HK$350 for the ricotta alone. Be sure to drain the anchovies well because the ricotta is moist and full of whey, a thin, milky liquid that doesn't mix well with oil. Small tomatoes are usually tastier than large ones, so roast the cherry tomatoes with a sprinkle of sea salt for a lovely richness. The best wine for this humble but delicious dish needs a savoury tone and some richness. Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2006, Martinborough, New Zealand Martinborough isn't famed for its pinot noirs but there are a couple of excellent winemakers in the region who are focused on making delicious wine (Larry McKinnon 's Escarpment Pinot Noir, for example, demonstrates that great wines follow great winemakers). This Ata Rangi is simply delicious, with loads of deep fruit that goes very well with the anchovies' richness. The berry fruit also links well to the warmth of the roast tomatoes. Serve it with some peppery watercress and heady mustard oil to complete the match. Available for HK$480 from Altaya (tel: 2523 1945) Calera Mt Harlen Viognier 2005, Central Coast, California I first tasted this wine in the early 1990s, when Donald Berger - then executive chef at the Ritz Carlton in Central - introduced it to me. It was then (and every vintage still is) amazingly caressing and well structured; it's become one of my benchmarks for the viognier grape. The wine is rich, without compromise and there is a delicateness to its taste. It's the perfect match with baked ricotta, and a delicious wine to pair with many Cantonese dishes. Available for HK$286 from Golden Gate Wine (tel: 2891 8121) Tardieu Laurent Cote Rotie 2004/2005, Rhone Valley, France This is a classy wine with plenty of fragrance. It is also one of the richest wines you can pair nicely with baked ricotta. It goes well with the dish because the wine's intense flavour soaks up the savoury anchovy and tomatoes richness, all of which sit happily on a platform of caramel derived from the making of the baked ricotta. For an extra kick, add some roasted black olives. Available for HK$688 from Fine Vintage (tel: 2896 6108)
