Lemon Pasta with Ricotta and Fresh Peas

Peas and pasta, two foods my daughter loves to eat. When I discovered this simple recipe from the Food Charlatan, I knew I had to make this hearty vegetarian pasta immediately. Made with ricotta and peas, this lemon pasta recipe is simple to make and perfect for summer.

Although I enjoy cooking, especially with Wes, I seem to never have the right tools or ingredients on hand when I find an interesting recipe. Fortunately, this time around, I had pretty much everything needed to whip up this hearty dinner. Now that Wes and I have been preparing most of our meals together, I think it’s time to invest in some proper kitchen tools. More on that later..

Ingredients

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 pound penne (we used angel hair)

1 tablespoon kosher salt (for pasta water)

2 medium cloves garlic (smashed)

1/3 cup fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1 1/2 cups peas

15 ounce ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste)

1/4 cup oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

In a skillet, toast the pine nuts over medium heat. Stir them constantly and watch them carefully so they don’t burn. Once the pine nuts are golden, remove to a plate and set aside. 

Fill the skillet with water and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and add the pasta until it is cooked al dente.

When ready, drain the pasta and return to the same pot. Drizzle with olive oil and stir.

To make the ricotta pea sauce, blend add garlic and parsley, oregano and thyme until the parsley and garlic are finely chopped.

Add 1 1/2 cups peas, the ricotta, the lemon zest and juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt (see note), and black pepper. Pulse until the mixture comes together but still has some texture to it, it shouldn’t be completely smooth. 

Add the ricotta mixture to the pasta and stir. Add in remaining cup of peas.

Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and a few drizzles of olive oil.

Top each serving with some toasted pine nuts. 

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