Description
A no-cook sauce and just five ingredients means this pasta comes together in just 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- kosher salt
- 1 pound cellentani, gemelli, or another short pasta
- 1 cup (8 ounces) whole-milk ricotta, room temperature
- 1 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving
- freshly grated zest of 1 medium lemon, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- red pepper flakes and basil leaves for serving
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
- Add the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest, juice, and black pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend to a smooth paste, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 1 minute. With the machine running, slowly add 1/3 cup pasta water. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and check the consistency of the sauce, adding more pasta water to thin it out if you prefer. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth sauce.
- Divide the pasta among bowls, being sure to top it with any sauce from the bottom of the pot. Garnish it with grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and basil, and serve.
