Creamy Ricotta Pasta Sauce

Recipesfull introduces to you: Italian Recipes. (Creamy Ricotta Pasta Sauce). A simple marriage of ricotta cheese, egg, and a secret ingredient make for a sauce that's even creamier than those that use heavy cream, which can be a bit too rich and filling. I mean, come on, I'm trying to save room for the tiramisu. Ricotta gives this sauce a cheesy tanginess that we don't get with heavy cream. I love to top this pasta with lots of ricotta salata, a great summer cheese.

Brief

Prep 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 30 mins

Servings: 4

Yield: 4 small portions

Creamy Ricotta Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

8 ounces orecchiette pasta

½ cup ricotta cheese

1 large egg

1 teaspoon kosher salt

or more to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon

zested

1 pinch cayenne pepper

or to taste

¼ cup pesto

or to taste

Parmesan Focaccia Bread

World Cuisine

Directions

Step 1

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook orecchiette according to package directions reducing time by 1 minute about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile combine ricotta cheese egg salt pepper lemon zest and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Mix until a paste forms. Add 1/3 cup hot pasta water and whisk well. Repeat with another 1/3 cup pasta water.

Step 3

Transfer pasta to a saucepan using a strainer letting most but not all the water drain off. Reserve cooking water. Add the sauce mixture and turn heat to medium. Cook and stir until sauce thickens enough to coat the pasta evenly about 2 minutes. Add more pasta water if sauce gets too thick. Stir in pesto. Taste and season as desired. Transfer pasta to a warm bowl.

Nutritional Information

Creamy Ricotta Pasta Sauce

Servings Per Recipe:4

Calories: 296.6

% Daily Value *

Protein: 11.4g 23%

Carbohydrates: 42.4g 14%

Dietary Fiber: 2.6g 10%

Sugars: 1.1g

Fat: 9.4g 14%

Saturated Fat: 2.3g 12%

Cholesterol: 51.5mg 17%

Vitamin A Iu: 227.7IU 5%

Niacin Equivalents: 0.5mg 4%

Vitamin C: 2.2mg 4%

Folate: 9.7mcg 2%

Calcium: 119mg 12%

Iron: 0.8mg 5%

Magnesium: 10.1mg 4%

Potassium: 67.7mg 2%

Sodium: 616.7mg 25%

Calories From Fat: 84.3

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Nutrition information is provided for reference only. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.