Creamy Pasta With Ricotta and Herbs
Published June 1, 2022
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Salt
- 1pound short pasta, such as shells, cavatappi, chiocciole, farfalle, ditali or wagon wheels
- 12ounces fresh, whole-milk ricotta (about 1½ cups)
- ¾cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- ½cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 2½cups 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)
986 calories; 47 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 25 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 106 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 38 grams protein; 670 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
- 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.
That really sounds wonderful! Toasted shaved almonds ought to work instead of pine nuts, I'd guess, if one had the former in the pantry and not the latter. But your suggestion of pine nuts seems a real winner! I'm tempted to throw 15-20 peeled/deveined shrimp into the pasta pot as it nears completion. I've saved the recipe (and your suggestions) into my Recipes folder for future reference.
Tried the other night - too soupy. Lots of NYT Cooking pasta dishes call for saving/using extra pasta water. Sure, maybe a bit - but not interested in slop - adding a cup of pasta water is a lot.
Every Italian cook will save pasta water. It is meant to thicken and emulsify the sauce and help the sauce cling to the pasta. Recipes always recommend more than will be needed; it's not possible to create pasta water after the fact. Always add a little at a time. Stop before it gets soupy. Sometime a cup of pasta water is a lot; sometimes it's not. This recipe has no liquid, so unless your ricotta is runny, you'll need pasta water.
This is just the other ricotta pasta recipe that’s popular on NYT but just… better?
So good (and only one pot)! I had some herbs but not a lot, so I used baby arugula with some fresh thyme and dried italian herbs. I meant to add the lemon zest but I forgot until I was scrapping the bottom of the bowl. Will definitely make again for an easy, delicious meal!
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