Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Zucchini

Well, it happened. Toronto is in its third lockdown, emergency brake, stay at home order, whatever. I don’t complain about these things though because I’m one of the lucky ones. Despite watching my 86-year-old father struggle and nearly die from Covid, I still feel grateful. There are essential care employees who must work and frontline health care professionals who haven’t been shielded from the horror of what is happening in the hospitals. For these reasons, I count blessings. I’m totally human though, so I complain endlessly to no one who listens about people not putting their dishes in the dishwasher. I’m also, most nights, hostile about dinner.

I figure if I’m going to get angry at something then dinner is the perfect thing — it just never goes the hell away! I’m a food blogger and I feel this way some nights. So, if you’re annoyed at dinner, don’t feel bad. It is endless, even more so in a pandemic. If you’re feeding people crackers and cheese; you’re doing a great job. If dinner was instant oatmeal, awesome work! Can’t be bothered with anything other than toast, you are incredible! However, if you wake up on the sunny side of the bed or decide you have a bit more to give, then this pasta comes in clutch. It’s fast, easy, creamy, has a veg and is delicious. This recipe will be one of the those little, inconsequential things you’ll feel appreciative of in the day. And since we’re talking about being thankful, I thought I should mention you made me happy today too. Thanks for being here.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Zucchini

This fresh, citrusy dish is creamy while still feeling light. It's the perfect weeknight dish in the Spring when you want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time outdoors.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb pasta (pappardelle, fettucini or tagliatelli)
• 1 zuchinni, cut into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, extra for garnish
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 clove garlic
• pinch red pepper flakes
• fresh basil for garnish
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. In the last minute of cooking time, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and then drop the ribbons of zucchini into the water; stir. Drain and return pasta and zucchini to pot.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix ricotta, Parmesan, zest, juice, oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the ricotta and half the reserved water to the pasta. Stir well to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce, add more cooking water as needed, you want a smooth and creamy texture. Using your zester, shave the fresh garlic into the warm pasta and stir in the red pepper flakes.
• Serve with some fresh basil, extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

Keyword pasta, pasta recipes, easy recipes, lemon pasta, ricotta pasta, ricotta, lemon recipes, easy dinners