Zucchini Pasta with Creamy Ricotta
🇮🇹 Italy
Ingredients
- 400 g fusilli (or other short pasta)
- 400 g zucchini, diced
- 100 g ricotta
- 25 g pecorino, freshly grated
- 25 g parmesan, freshly grated
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 10 basil leaves, roughly chopped
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Steps
- Bring salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve about 3-4 tablespoons of the pasta water for the zucchini cream.
- Wash and dice the zucchini. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Wash and roughly chop the basil leaves.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat with the garlic until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
- Add the zucchini and basil to the pan. Season lightly with salt, cover, and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the zucchini sticks, add a splash of warm water. The zucchini should be very soft when done.
- Remove the zucchini from the heat and mash with a fork. Set aside a few pieces for garnish if desired.
- Put the ricotta in a large bowl big enough to hold the pasta, and whisk until creamy.
- Add the grated parmesan, pecorino, and nutmeg to the ricotta.
- Mix everything well and season to taste.
- Combine the mashed zucchini with the reserved pasta water.
- Drain the pasta and add it, still dripping wet, to the bowl with the ricotta cream. Toss everything together.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.
Notes
For a vegetarian version without animal rennet, use pecorino and parmesan alternatives made without animal-derived rennet.
Source: emmikochteinfach.de