One-Pot Pasta With Ricotta
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound penne
- 8 oz whole-milk ricotta
- 1 C freshly grated Parmesan
- Black pepper
- Red-pepper flakes, for serving
Optional
- 1 TBSP freshly grated lemon zest
- ¼ C lemon juice (1 lemon)
- 1 C peas, frozen
Step 1
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. If using peas, cook with pasta for the last 2 minutes.
Step 2
- Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Step 3
- In the same pot, make the sauce: Add the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and stir until well combined.
Step 4
- Add ½ cup pasta water to the sauce and stir until smooth. Add the pasta and continue to stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth sauce.
Step 5
- Divide the pasta among bowls and top with some of the sauce that’s pooled at the bottom of the pot. Garnish with grated Parmesan, black pepper, red-pepper flakes and basil, if using.