Creamy Ricotta Pasta with Peas
Shared with me by: Lisa Kasperek
Perfect side dish with salmon or any seafood.
Simple and quick to make
Ingredients
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- 8 oz. pasta (fettuccini, bow tie, rotini, penne or your choice)
- 1 c. frozen peas
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tbls. butter
- 1 c. whole milk ricotta
- 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 t. salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 t. freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
Zest and juice the lemon, setting aside about 1/2 tsp zest and 1 Tbsp juice. Tip: Freeze leftover lemon juice and zest for another use.
Cook the pasta according to package directions until tender. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
Place the frozen peas in the colander before draining the pasta, allowing the hot water to thaw them; set aside. Or thaw in refrigerator throughout the day.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, just until fragrant.
Add the drained pasta and peas to the skillet along with about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
Add the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined, and the residual heat has warmed the ricotta, creating a creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add more of the reserved pasta water as needed.
Season the pasta with salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm.
NOTE: Serves 4