A fresh, creamy pasta with ricotta, lemon zest, and sweet peas tossed through al dente rigatoni. Quick and elegant.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz rigatoni pasta
→ Ricotta & Lemon Mixture
02 - 8.8 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 1 lemon, zested
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
05 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
07 - 1.4 oz grated Parmesan cheese
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Vegetables
09 - 7 oz frozen or fresh green peas
→ Garnish
10 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for serving
11 - Fresh basil or mint leaves, optional
12 - Additional lemon zest, optional
# How To Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - While pasta cooks, blanch peas in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes. If using frozen peas, add them during the final 2-3 minutes of pasta cooking time. Drain with the pasta.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and creamy. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to achieve desired consistency.
04 - Add hot drained pasta and peas directly to the ricotta mixture. Toss thoroughly, gradually adding reserved pasta water until the pasta is evenly coated with a silky sauce.
05 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Top with extra Parmesan, fresh herbs, and additional lemon zest as desired.
