Ingredients
2 tablespoons EVOO
4 tablespoons salted butter
4 cloves garlic, grated or pasted
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/3 cup cream
Zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 teaspoons juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
¼ cup finely chopped flat parsley
Salt and white pepper or fine black pepper
1 pound reginette, orecchiette or shell pasta
1 cup fresh peas
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
¾ cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
Pea tendrils, for garnish, optional
Directions
Serves: 4
Heat a large pot of water to a boil for pasta.
In a small pot, warm EVOO over low heat and melt butter into it. Add garlic and swirl a couple of minutes until fragrant.
In a large glass or nonreactive bowl, whisk up ricotta, cream, zest, lemon juice, mint, thyme and half of the parsley. Season with salt and pepper or white pepper.
Season boiling water with salt and cook pasta 1 minute less than package directions, about 7 to 8 minutes, depending on the cut you choose. Add peas to the pasta after 3 minutes. Reserve about ½ cup of boiling water, drain pasta and peas, then add hot water to ricotta mixture. Whisk in the EVOO-garlic butter, add drained pasta and peas and combine. Top pasta with chopped pistachios, remaining parsley and pea tendrils (if using).
