Pappardelle With Fresh Ricotta, Squash Blossoms and Basil Oil

By David Tanis

Pappardelle With Fresh Ricotta, Squash Blossoms and Basil Oil
Jim Wilson/The New York Times
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(170)
Comments
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Ricotta is one of the great undersung cheeses and can be used in dozens of ways. Bake it in a hot oven in an earthenware dish with a little olive oil and rosemary, then spread it on toast for an antipasto or snack. Mix it with chopped cooked spinach or chard for filling ravioli or layering into baked pasta. Or, as is done here, fold the cheese into pappardelle noodles with barely cooked zucchini and squash blossoms and serve with basil oil and grated pecorino for a sensational summer pasta.

Featured in: Fresh Ricotta, a Fleeting Pleasure

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

    For the Basil Oil

    • About 12 basil leaves, roughly chopped
    • 1garlic clove, minced
    • ½teaspoon grated lemon zest
    • ⅓cup extra virgin olive oil
    • Salt
    • pepper

    For the Pasta

    • 1pound pappardelle or other pasta
    • 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • ½pound small zucchini, thinly sliced
    • Salt
    • pepper
    • About 12 squash blossoms, stems removed
    • ½pound fresh ricotta about 1 cup, at room temperature
    • Pecorino cheese, for grating
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

503 calories; 23 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 15 grams protein; 406 milligrams sodium

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

  1. For the Basil Oil

    1. Step 1

      To make the basil oil, in a small dish stir together the basil, garlic, lemon zest and olive oil. Add a little salt and pepper. Set aside for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until al dente.

    2. Step 2

      In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and cook until barely done, 1 or 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Tear the squash blossoms into strips.

    3. Step 3

      Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Add pappardelle to the skillet with the zucchini. Add squash blossoms, ricotta and a little salt and pepper. Quickly stir together with 2 wooden spoons, leaving the ricotta a little chunky. Add pasta water if necessary and transfer to a warm serving bowl.

    4. Step 4

      At the table, top each serving with 2 teaspoons basil oil and a sprinkling of grated pecorino.

Ratings

5 out of 5
170 user ratings
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Comments

Lauren

I made this last night with homemade ricotta (thank you, Mark Bittman) and our guests said, "this tastes like a dish from one of the best restaurants in Santa Fe." Very flatttering but then the key to being a good cook is recipe selection. I used 2 oz pasta per person which was plenty. Extremely easy to complete while guests are visiting. Will definitely make it again.

Jennie

My husband made this last night, exactly as the recipe stated, barely-cooked zucchini and all. It tasted like the delicious basil oil, enjoyable but one-note. For lunch we reheated the leftovers, which actually cooked the zucchini, and what a difference! So much more flavor. So: cook your zucchini, folks!

calexical

Delicious. For me, the basil oil created a whole new level of dimension and really elevated the dish. We found it was necessary to use more than the recommended on each serving, and next time I’ll double the basil oil to match the 1 pound of pasta.

scrow

Fresh mozzarella and parm for the cheeses. Really good. The rest exactly as written.

Jane

What could substitute for the squash blossoms?

AB

I agree with reducing the proportion of pasta to the other ingredients, but found that with truly small zucchini, thinly sliced, the preparation method worked. I added some late season snap peas to the early season zucchini and had a dish that defined “early July!”

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