Lemon Pea Ricotta Pasta (Print version)
Ricotta makes a soft lemon sauce for penne and sweet peas without a separate cream sauce.
# Ingredients:
Ingredients
01 -
320 g dried penne
02 -
200 g frozen peas
03 -
250 g ricotta
04 -
50 g grated Parmesan
05 -
1 tbsp olive oil
06 -
Zest of 1 lemon
07 -
2 tbsp lemon juice
08 -
2 tbsp chopped basil
09 -
¼ tsp black pepper
10 -
½ tsp salt, plus pasta water
# Instructions:
01 -
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it lightly. Cook penne according to the packet until al dente, adding frozen peas for the final 2 minutes.
02 -
Before draining, reserve 300 ml pasta cooking water in a heatproof jug. Drain the pasta and peas.
03 -
In a large bowl, whisk ricotta, Parmesan, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, pepper and the measured salt. Whisk in 100 ml hot pasta water until creamy.
04 -
Add the hot pasta and peas to the bowl. Toss thoroughly, adding more reserved water a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta without pooling. You may not need all the water.
05 -
Fold in basil and serve immediately. The sauce thickens as it stands; loosen with a little warm water if needed. Do not boil the ricotta sauce.
06 -
Refrigerate leftovers within two hours in a sealed container for up to two days. Reheat gently with a splash of water until hot throughout.
# Good to know:
01 -
Includes 0 minutes resting or cooling time.