Pappardelle with Creamy Ricotta Pesto
Pappardelle with Creamy Ricotta Pesto – pappardelle pasta in a creamy, garlicky pesto sauce infused with ricotta.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pappardelle pasta or other variety (500g)
- 1 tablespoon butter (14g)
- 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves (100g)
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (100g)
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts (33g)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice optional
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (56g)
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino romano cheese (14g)
- 2 tablespoons butter softened to room temperature (28g)
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese (57g)
Instructions
For the pasta:
- Over high heat, boil the pasta in salted water in a large pot until al dente. The water should be as salty as sea water. I use about 2 tablespoons.
- Drain pasta, reserve some of the cooking liquid to thin the Ricotta Pesto as needed to the desired consistency.
- Toss drained pasta with 1 tablespoon butter.
To make in the food processor:
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine basil, olive oil, pine nuts, minced garlic, optional lemon juice, and salt to taste. Process until creamy.
- Transfer to a bowl and mix in the two cheeses, butter, and ricotta.
To make with mortar and pestle:
- Combine basil, pine nuts, minced garlic, and salt to taste (coarse is better in the mortar). Using the pestle with a rotary, grinding motion, grind the ingredients into a paste against the sides of the mortar.
- Add both cheeses and the optional lemon and using the pestle grind into the paste.
- Pour in olive oil in a thin stream and beat until incorporated with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in butter and ricotta.
Combine pasta and sauce:
- Toss the Ricotta Pesto with the hot, buttered pasta, adding reserved pasta water as necessary to make a sauce that clings to the pasta. I stir about ½ cup of the reserved water into the pesto before adding to the pasta. Salt as needed to taste.
Notes
- Top with extra parmesan cheese if desired.
- A little lemon zest in the pesto will add a bright flavor.
- If you’d like to add some leafy greens (in addition to the basil), feel free to blend up some baby spinach, kale, or arugula.
- For added protein, try topping with grilled salmon, chicken, or shrimp.
- For gluten free, use a gluten free pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 594kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 16gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 224mgPotassium: 265mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 763IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 183mgIron: 2mg
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