Lemon Ricotta Pasta With Vegetables Recipes

LEMON RICOTTA PASTA & SPINACH

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, make the ricotta sauce.
• In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon zest and juice. Season with 1/4 tsp of salt and a good pinch of pepper.
• Stir until well combined, taste and make sure you're happy with the seasoning.
• In the last minute of the pasta's cooking time, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then and add spinach to the pot. Stir well and push the leaves down to submerge them in water.
• After 1 minute, drain and return pasta and spinach to the same pot.
• Add the ricotta sauce and part of the reserved cooking water. Stir well to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce, add more cooking water as needed, you want a smooth and creamy texture.
• Serve immediately and garnish with grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and lemon wedges if desired (for extra freshly squeezed juice, but I leave it optional). Plus, I love adding a good pinch of red pepper flakes, you might give it a go. Enjoy!

LEMON RICOTTA PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• In the same pot, heat the olive oil at medium heat. Then add the garlic paste and cook until fragrant. Whisk in the ricotta, parmesan cheese, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper until well combined.
• Add 1/2 cup pasta water to the sauce and whisk until smooth. Add the pasta and the kale and continue to stir until the noodles are well coated and the kale softens. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth sauce.
• Garnish with lemon slices and basil, if desired.

PASTA WITH LEMON, HERBS AND RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water and add enough salt so that you can taste it. Bring to a boil. Pour the chicken broth into a small saucepan, drop in the garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce by half. Remove garlic. Shut off the heat; add the lemon zest and juice. Season to taste. It should be highly seasoned because this will be the sauce for the pasta. Keep warm. Place 4 serving bowls in a low oven.
• When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente. After five minutes, ladle out about 1 cup of the cooking water and reserve. Drain the pasta, shake, then return it to the pot. Place over low heat and pour in the chicken broth. Sprinkle in the mint, marjoram and fennel and a little olive oil. Stir. The pasta should be brothy and lemony. Add some of the reserved cooking water, salt and more lemon juice, if needed.
• Spoon into bowls so that the pasta is lying in a bit of broth. Crumble the ricotta over top, sprinkle with a dash more oil and grind pepper over the top. Serve.

GARDEN PASTA WITH LEMON RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs, adding the snap peas during the last 2 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and peas.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; cook until the garlic is softened, about 1 minute. Add the radishes and bell pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add half of the reserved pasta cooking water and cook until the vegetables are tender, 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the pasta and snap peas to the skillet along with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, the parmesan and all but a few tablespoons of the herbs; toss to coat, adding enough of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen. Season with salt and pepper.
• Combine the ricotta, 1 tablespoon water, the lemon zest and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Top each serving with the lemon ricotta and the remaining herbs.

SUMMER PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
• Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
• Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

BAKED RICOTTA WITH SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, add the asparagus and blanch 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Toss mushrooms with 2 teaspoons of the oil and sear in a small skillet over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet with 1 teaspoon oil. Place ricotta in a bowl. Fold in the Parmesan, mozzarella, oregano, egg and egg yolk. Season with salt and pepper. Spread in the cast-iron skillet. Gently swirl in the pesto, leaving streaks of it.
• Heat a broiler. Place the cast-iron skillet on a burner turned to low and let cook about 10 minutes, until heated through and showing signs of browning along the edges. Remove from heat. Scatter the asparagus, mushrooms and artichokes on top. Sprinkle with scallions and mint. Place under the broiler close to the source of heat until it starts to become lightly dappled, about 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile grill or toast the bread. Brush with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and rub with garlic. Serve the cheese and vegetables directly from the skillet, with grilled bread alongside.

ONE-POT PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND LEMON

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• In the same pot, make the sauce: Add the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir until well combined.
• Add 1/2 cup pasta water to the sauce and stir until smooth. Add the pasta and continue to stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth sauce.
• Divide the pasta among bowls and top with some of the sauce that's pooled at the bottom of the pot. Garnish with grated Parmesan, black pepper, red-pepper flakes and basil, if using.