Tag: pasta

Fettuccine with shrimp and ricotta

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1/2 red bell pepper,  diced medium
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced medium
  • 4 scallions diced
  • 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 1/2 lb. peeled shrimp
  • 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup 1% milk
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 1/3 lb fettuccine
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 Tbs salt

Procedure

  • Bring water to boil
  • Add salt and fettuccine
  • Stir the fettuccine to avoid sticking
  • While fettuccine is cooking (about 8 minutes), begin the sauce
  • Heat olive oil in saute pan over medium high heat
  • Add red pepper flakes to the oil
  • Add garlic to oil and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
  • Add onion and cook until softened
  • Add red bell pepper to the garlic and onion mixture and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add scallions to the mixture and cook 1 minutes
  • Add shrimp and cook until just turning pink, about 3-4 minutes
  • In a small bowl, combine the ricotta and milk to thin the ricotta; add to the sauce and mix until throughly combined
  • Taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Drain the fettuccine and add to the sauce; toss or fold the pasta to combine with the sauce and heat through.
  • Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese

Possible garnishes

Chives, parsley, or other fresh herbs

Farfalle with walnuts, spinach and ricotta

This is a quick and tasty pasta recipe, great for quiet supper for two, though it could easily be expanded to serve guests. In all, it took about 15-20 minutes to prepare and cook.  The recipe was inspired by Martha Rose Shulman's Pappardelle With Greens and Ricotta in the New York Times.

Ingredients

  • 1/2  lb farfalle (bow-tie) pasta.
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1-2 garlic clove(s) finely chopped or pressed through garlic press
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 pinch salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 10 oz baby spinach

Procedure

  • Bring two quarts water to rapid boil.
  • Add pasta to boiling water and cook for 8 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, add the olive oil to the pan over medium-high heat.
  • Add garlic to oil and cook about 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant.
  • Add the walnuts to the oil and toast for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Avoid letting the nuts burn.
  • Add the spinach to the pan with the garlic and walnuts. Turn off the heat and allow the spinach to wilt in the hot oil, turning the spinach with tongs.
  • Add pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to the spinach.
  • Add the ricotta to a large bowl, or the serving bowl.
  • Add 1/2 cup of pasta water to the bowl with the ricotta and mix.
  • Drain and add pasta to the ricotta.
  • Add the spinach and walnuts to the pasta and fold together to thoroughly mix.
  • Add the grated Parmesan to the bowl and fold together with the pasta.

Variations

One could substitute other greens, though hardier greens would require a bit more cooking time. Other nuts could be substituted, or totally eliminated. Sliced mushrooms could be sauteed with the greens.

Possible garnishes

Chopped fresh herbs (dill, chives, parsley)