Note. If you’d like to serve your pasta with a shaved red cabbage and parmesan salad like I did in the picture below – and I really recommend you do – just substitute in red cabbage in the salad recipe HERE.
our cousin rosa’s pasta with ricotta
serves 5
Adapted from Rosa Mitchell’s inspirational book, My Cousin Rosa.
Rosa has this down as serving 4 people but ‘d prefer to divide it between 5 – or at least leave some leftovers for lunch. I think my lack of Italian pasta-eating genes is showing.
If you’re in the mood to experiment Rosa recommends trying it with pesto and parmesan or diced ripe tomatoes and basil, or with bacon peas and parmesan. But she’s right that the ricotta alone is mighty fine. I’ve also experimented with flaked good quality tuna in oil and a squeeze of lemon.
500g short pasta
275g – 300g (10oz) whole milk ricotta
2 sprigs parsley, leaves picked & chopped
freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook pasta according to the packet directions. Mash ricotta with a fork. When the pasta is done reserve a cup full of cooking water. Drain pasta and return to the saucepan. Stir through ricotta and parsley. If it looks too dry stir through some of the cooking water until it looks good. Season and serve hot with cheese on the side.
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I’ve often put a little ricotta in my tomato sauce for pasta but never just ricotta alone. I will have to try it. And, just because I can’t leave well enough alone, I might just throw in some greens sauted in garlic and oil!
ruth,
I’m liking the sound of the greens sauted in garlic and oil. yum
Lovely Jules! and is that a red cabbage salad lurking in the background?
I have to say, I’m with Ruth and some garlic, at least would have to go in too… anyway, another stone soup recommended cook book to check out :)
A pasta recipe that simple but with looks that gorgeous must really be good. Thank you Jules, and thank you Cousin Rosa. :)
hey zoe
you’re on the money – it’s a red cabbage version of my shaved cabbage salad with parmesan there’s a link to the original recipe above if you’re interested.
I can see why you’re thinking garlic but really it doesn’t need it.
pleasure trisha happy to share the cousin rosa love
This looks like a real winner – simple and delicious. I love ricotta, and this just looks heavenly! :)
I too love this book so much i blogged about it. However i had a problem making the ricotta cheese. I am wondering if the temperatures are printed incorrectly as no matter how hard i tried i couldn’t heat the milk to 200 C without it boiling over at the 100C point. Despite this problem the book is a well loved purchase. I love how the book oozes Italian culture and family heritage integrated throughout the recipes.
For Australian ppl if you spend over $50 on an order at http://www.fishpond.com.au your order is postage free. I am not affiliated in any way; just a very happy customer. They disptach each book as it is available rather than waiting to fill your entire order before dispatching.
I know its late in the day – (errr June 09 and its now Jan 2010) this post inpired me to buy the book and thanks to a voucher for Xmas I have finally ordered this book. Can’t wait to see what you are all raving about.
I just made this with the bacon & peas….. Oh my goodness. I think I’ve died & gone to heaven. Simply amazing. Husband approved as well. :) Thanks!!!
Great Kelly!
Hello, sorry to admit I do not know what ricotta is (living in provincial Russia does not enhance one’s culinaty choices. What’s ricotta please? is it a sort of cheese? thank you so much for your attention. My best. Irina. Togliatti, Russia.
I’ve often put a little ricotta in my tomato sauce for pasta but never just ricotta alone. I will have to try it. And, just because I can’t leave well enough alone, I might just throw in some greens sauted in garlic and oil!
ruth,
I’m liking the sound of the greens sauted in garlic and oil. yum
Lovely Jules! and is that a red cabbage salad lurking in the background?
I have to say, I’m with Ruth and some garlic, at least would have to go in too… anyway, another stone soup recommended cook book to check out :)
A pasta recipe that simple but with looks that gorgeous must really be good. Thank you Jules, and thank you Cousin Rosa. :)
hey zoe
you’re on the money – it’s a red cabbage version of my shaved cabbage salad with parmesan there’s a link to the original recipe above if you’re interested.
I can see why you’re thinking garlic but really it doesn’t need it.
pleasure trisha happy to share the cousin rosa love
This looks like a real winner – simple and delicious. I love ricotta, and this just looks heavenly! :)
Sounds like a great cookbook – FYI, it’s available at a good price (with free international shipping) from Book Depository:
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/browse/book/isbn/9781741963632
I too love this book so much i blogged about it. However i had a problem making the ricotta cheese. I am wondering if the temperatures are printed incorrectly as no matter how hard i tried i couldn’t heat the milk to 200 C without it boiling over at the 100C point. Despite this problem the book is a well loved purchase. I love how the book oozes Italian culture and family heritage integrated throughout the recipes.
For Australian ppl if you spend over $50 on an order at http://www.fishpond.com.au your order is postage free. I am not affiliated in any way; just a very happy customer. They disptach each book as it is available rather than waiting to fill your entire order before dispatching.
I know its late in the day – (errr June 09 and its now Jan 2010) this post inpired me to buy the book and thanks to a voucher for Xmas I have finally ordered this book. Can’t wait to see what you are all raving about.
I just made this with the bacon & peas….. Oh my goodness. I think I’ve died & gone to heaven. Simply amazing. Husband approved as well. :) Thanks!!!
Great Kelly!
Hello, sorry to admit I do not know what ricotta is (living in provincial Russia does not enhance one’s culinaty choices. What’s ricotta please? is it a sort of cheese? thank you so much for your attention. My best. Irina. Togliatti, Russia.