Creamy Pasta With Ricotta and Herbs
Published May 31, 2022
Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
Salt
1 pound short pasta, such as shells, cavatappi, chiocciole, farfalle, ditali or wagon wheels
12 ounces fresh, whole-milk ricotta (about 1 ½ cups)
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper, plus more for serving
2 ½ cups coarsely chopped soft herbs, such as basil, chives, fennel fronds, parsley, mint, tarragon, chervil or dill (try for a combination of at least 3 kinds)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
106 grams carbs; 65 milligrams cholesterol; 986 calories; 25 grams monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 47 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 670 milligrams sodium; 38 grams protein; 3 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Step 2
In the same pot, make the sauce: Add ricotta, Parmesan, olive oil, pepper and a large pinch or two of salt, and stir until well combined.
- Step 3
Add 1 cup pasta water to the sauce and stir until smooth. Add the pasta and herbs, and continue to stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth, soupy sauce. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Step 4
To serve, spoon the pasta into bowls and finish with more Parmesan, olive oil and pepper.
Private Notes
Comments
Delicious! I did add the lemon zest and toasted pinenuts I had leftover. Served with seared scallops on the side. Thanks for a great recipe!
I grew up in a Sicilian working class family and this dish was a frequent meal. Try it with Spinach or Brocolli Rabe.
Just made this recipe . Simple good . Add lemon zest to this for acid and makes all the ingredients shine bright !
I was looking for a way to use up a small amount of leftover ricotta and I remember seeing this recipe in the past. The search engine work just fine and locating the recipe. It was a fantastic dish. I quartered the recipe and cooked 4 ounces of pasta. I gathered fresh basil, thyme, oregano, mint, and Italian parsley from my herb garden. The sauce came together, just fine as instructed. I paired the dish with salmon. I put some lemon on the salmon and then added a little to the pasta and it seemed to really brighten the herbs. Definitely plan to make this again.
After making this three times I've settled on a combo of basil, mint, and parsley. And I think it works best with a pasta shape like farfalle, cavatelli, rotini, etc., rather than long noodles. Agree that the lemon zest garnish is a great addition. A half recipe is more than enough for two.
Made as is and used a high quality ricotta. The brightness of the herbs were nice but we found it lacking a bit. Maybe the acid of the lemon/lemon zest would help.