The moment this recipe came through my Instagram feed I knew I had to make it: only a five ingredients were required, the preparation was super simple, and the combination of cheeses and lemon sounded absolutely delicious, especially for a spring meal.
I can honestly say the finished dish did not disappoint, and in fact was better than either of us expected! From start to finish it was a breeze to prepare, and the sauce was creamy and bright with lemon flavor, perfect on a warm spring evening. We enjoyed our pasta with slices of Dutch oven bread.
The think this dish is a win-win-win. With only five ingredients and about 25 minutes or less needed to bring this delicious dish to the table, it’s super easy to put together. All the ingredients are fairly inexpensive and readily found at any supermarket, often on sale, making this recipe a frugal one as well.
LEMON-RICOTTA PASTA WITH PEAS
Ingredients:
- 1 12-oz package of pasta
- 10 ounces peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (low or full fat)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 lemon
- Fresh basil (optional)
In a large pan, boil water and cook the pasta according to package directions. About five minutes before the pasta is finished, add the peas to the boiling water.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Add grated peel from the entire lemon, and then the juice from the lemon into the cheese mixture; blend well.
Before draining the pasta, remove 1/2 cup of the cooking water and add to the cheese and lemon mixture and blend until smooth and creamy. Drain the pasta and peas, then return to the cooking pan. Fold in the cheese sauce until all the pasta is coated. Top with torn fresh basil, if desired, and serve.