Name: Lemon Ricotta Orecchiette Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. dry orecchiette pasta; 8 oz. whole milk ricotta; 1-2 Lemons; 2 c. peas; Fresh Basil (thinly sliced (to taste)); Sea Salt; Cracked Black Pepper; Optional: minced celery and or/red onion

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Lemon Ricotta Orecchiette Salad

Hello friends! Summer is definitely upon us, and I find that even though I have an air conditioned house this summer, I still long for less time cooking over a hot stove. How about you?

More time playing.

Reading.

Dreaming of anything and everything. (Italy, anyone?)

This is a quick and easy summer salad, perfect on it’s own- or as a side dish for some chicken grilled with lemon and fresh herbs. You can use other pasta shapes, but I love the way the peas & herbs get caught in the nooks & crannies of the orecchiette.

This Lemon Ricotta Orecchiette Salad keeps well, but is creamiest & best the first day the lemon & ricotta meet!

Lemon Ricotta Orecchiette Salad

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Ingredients

1 lb. dry orecchiette pasta
8 oz. whole milk ricotta
1-2 Lemons
2 c. peas
Fresh Basil thinly sliced (to taste)
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Optional: minced celery and or/red onion

Instructions

Cook pasta according to instructions on box.
Add Peas to pasta water for last 3 minutes.
Using a large colander spoon, spoon the cooked pasta & peas into a large mixing bowl. (save the cooking water)
In a separate mixing bowl, mix the ricotta with the juice and zest of 1 lemon. Add cracked black pepper and salt to taste.
Gently stir the lemon ricotta into the warm pasta and peas.
Thin with the pasta water, if needed. (Add a little bit at a time until desired consistency is reached.)
Add fresh basil to the pasta and toss gently.
Taste, and adjust to your preferences. Adding more lemon juice/zest, salt & pepper if desired.

Notes

Excellent quality whole milk ricotta makes a big difference in this dish- for taste and texture.

May be eaten at room temp or cold. If you don’t serve it immediately, add a little liquid before serving. The pasta will soak up much of the sauce!

Keyword Pasta, summer salad

Regarding Ricotta.

My taste has been forever ruined from living in Italy- it is difficult to find anything that resembles Italian ricotta here in the States. However, it’s very easy to make, and I have found a few brands that are creamy and delicious and less offensive than the main grocery store brands if I don’t have time to whip up a batch.

BelGioso Whole Milk Ricotta
Whole Foods 365 Whole Milk Ricotta

They are worth searching out, trust me! (Or make your own, which is easy and so good. This is the recipe I’ve used. For purists, it’s not “real” ricotta , but it’s better than what you can find in the stores in the US!)

Buon Appetito!

Lemon Ricotta Orecchiette Salad

Lemon Ricotta Orecchiette Salad