Lemon Ricotta Pasta (Pasta al Limone)
from https://www.the-pasta-project.com/

This Italian lemon ricotta pasta recipe has a wonderful fresh summer taste with an intense lemony flavor. Close your eyes and you can even imagine you are eating it sitting on a terrace overlooking the sea on the Amalfi coast or Capri!

This spaghetti al limone with ricotta is a no-cook recipe. In other words, the sauce isn’t cooked, only the pasta. It’s absolutely perfect as a summer dish or when you just want a quick light lunch or dinner. It uses just 5 simple ingredients and takes 30 minutes, making it a very easy recipe to make.

This recipe originally comes from Campania, more specifically Sorrento and the Amalfi coast, an area famous for its lemons and lemon gardens.

The most basic version of pasta al limone is with just lemon rind, parsley, olive oil and garlic. Some recipes include cream and/or butter, which obviously makes the dish creamier and richer. My favorite is this pasta with ricotta and basil. The end result is very creamy but without the heaviness and richness which comes from fresh cream, even though the latter is delicious too!

Traditional choices for this dish include spaghetti and tagliolini, though linguine is often used too.

14 oz Spaghetti or tagliolini or linguine
14 oz Fresh ricotta drained
Basil leaves handful
1 ½ Organic lemon medium sized from Sorrento or Amalfi if possible or unwaxed organic lemons
3.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano grated or vegetarian parmesan
Salt and black pepper as required

Mash the ricotta cheese in a bowl and then add the grated zest from the lemon (I used all the zest from one lemon), most of the basil leaves torn into pieces, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Add half of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to the ricotta mixture, stirring until combined. If your sauce feels too dense, incorporate a splash of milk to achieve a dip-like consistency.

In a large pot, cook your chosen pasta to al dente in boiling, salted water as per the package's directions. Before draining, save about a cup of pasta water.

Once drained, transfer the pasta back to the pot or a large bowl. Add the creamy ricotta mixture and pour in half of the reserved pasta water, combining gradually.

Mix until you achieve a velvety sauce, adding more pasta water if necessary to get the desired consistency.

Plate immediately, finishing with a dash of black pepper, a sprinkle of the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano, and the reserved basil leaves. Buon appetito!

Servings 4

Nutrition
Calories: 651kcal
Carbohydrates: 81g
Protein: 34g
Fat: 21g
Saturated Fat: 13g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 68mg
Sodium: 491mg
Potassium: 388mg
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 4g
Vitamin A: 646IU
Vitamin C: 14mg
Calcium: 531mg
Iron: 2mg