Creamy ricotta, zesty lemon, and sweet peas coat al dente rigatoni in this light Italian dish ready in 25 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz rigatoni
→ Ricotta & Lemon Mixture
02 - 9 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 1 lemon, zested
04 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
05 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
07 - 1.5 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, to serve
11 - Fresh basil or mint leaves (optional)
12 - Lemon zest (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, blanch the peas in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes (add during the last 2-3 minutes of the pasta's cooking time if using frozen peas). Drain with the pasta.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, grated garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy. If needed, add a splash of pasta water to loosen the mixture.
04 - Add hot, drained pasta and peas directly to the bowl with the ricotta mixture. Toss well, adding a little reserved pasta water as needed until the pasta is evenly coated in a silky sauce.
05 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan, fresh herbs, and more lemon zest if desired.
