Penne with Peas and Ricotta
Say hello to spring and warmer weather with this fresh Pasta with Peas and Ricotta. Creamy ricotta in every bite and a touch of vibrant fresh lemon zest and juice make this the perfect weeknight pasta dish.
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- Salt for pasta water
- 2 cups fresh peas
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 lemon zest and juice (I used organic)
- Coarse or fine sea salt for sprinkling
- Ground black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 Tablespoons Italian parsley chopped (not the stems)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cook the pasta.
- About 2 minutes before the pasta is done, add the peas to the pot.
- Reserve one cup pasta cooking water, then drain penne and peas.
- Add them back to the empty pot (do not put back on the heat) with 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, some olive oil (I used about 2 Tablespoons), salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the pasta to a serving bowl.
- Spoon in the ricotta cheese and give it a good stir. If pasta seems a little dry, add a bit more of the pasta cooking water you reserved. Drizzle on the reserved tablespoon of olive oil. You should have a creamy ricotta sauce. Add a little more pasta water or olive oil if needed.
- Stir in the fresh lemon zest and lemon juice. Check the salt and pepper and add more, if needed, to your taste.
- When serving in the bowls, sprinkle on the pine nuts, Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese, and parsley.