Creamy ricotta, zesty lemon, and sweet peas coat al dente rigatoni in this light 25-minute Italian-inspired dish.
# 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)
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ 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.
