Tantalize your taste buds with a delectable culinary journey featuring the exquisite flavors of Italy. Embark on a delightful adventure with our carefully curated recipes, showcasing the vibrant flavors of fresh asparagus, creamy ricotta cheese, peppery arugula, and a burst of zesty lemon. Discover the art of preparing tender and toothsome Gemelli pasta, coated in a tantalizing sauce that brings together the essence of all these ingredients. Indulge in the simplicity yet sophistication of this dish, perfect for a light and refreshing meal. With step-by-step instructions and a treasure trove of culinary tips, we guide you in creating a masterpiece that will leave your palate craving for more.
**Additional Recipes to Explore:**
- Complement your Gemelli with a flavorful side dish of **Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Glaze**. This medley of colorful vegetables, kissed with a sweet and tangy glaze, adds a delightful dimension to your meal.
- Try your hand at making homemade **Lemon Ricotta Cookies**. These delectable treats are a perfect balance of tart and sweet, featuring a tender crumb and a burst of citrusy goodness.
- For a refreshing beverage, whip up **Sparkling Lemonade with Mint**. This thirst-quenching drink, infused with the invigorating essence of mint, is a perfect accompaniment to your Italian feast.
PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS, ARUGULA AND RICOTTA
This recipe works best if you use thin asparagus and peppery wild arugula, available at some farmers' markets.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, pastas, main course
Time 15m
Yield Serves four
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add a generous amount of salt. Add the asparagus. Cook pencil-thin asparagus for two minutes, three to four minutes if stems are medium-thick. Transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain and set aside.
- Place the ricotta in a large pasta bowl.
- Bring the water back to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook al dente, following the directions for timing on the package but checking a minute before the suggested cooking time. Stir 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water into the ricotta. Drain the pasta and toss at once with the olive oil and ricotta, the arugula, asparagus and Parmesan. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 485, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 69 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 20 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 513 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams
ONE-POT PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND LEMON
This elegant, bright pasta dish comes together in about the same amount of time it takes to boil noodles and heat up a jar of store-bought marinara. The no-cook sauce is a 50-50 mix of ricotta and Parmesan, with the zest and juice of one lemon thrown in. That's it. To make it more filling, add peas, asparagus or spinach in the last few minutes of the pasta boiling, or stir in fresh arugula or watercress with the sauce in Step 3. It's a weeknight and for-company keeper any way you stir it.
Provided by Ali Slagle
Categories dinner, easy, lunch, weekday, pastas, main course
Time 15m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- In the same pot, make the sauce: Add the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir until well combined.
- Add 1/2 cup pasta water to the sauce and stir until smooth. Add the pasta and continue to stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth sauce.
- Divide the pasta among bowls and top with some of the sauce that's pooled at the bottom of the pot. Garnish with grated Parmesan, black pepper, red-pepper flakes and basil, if using.
CAVATELLI WITH ASPARAGUS, LEMON AND FRESH RICOTTA
Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King
Categories main-dish
Time 40m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Place the woody stems from the asparagus in a food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer the pureed asparagus to a fine-mesh strainer set over a small bowl. Let the juices drain, 5 to 10 minutes, pressing down lightly on the puree with a wooden spoon occasionally. Reserve the juice and discard the pulp.
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the ricotta, Parmesan and 1 tablespoon lemon juice with some salt and pepper. Add the lemon zest and set aside.
- Once the water has boiled, add the cavatelli and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
- Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic, then add the sliced asparagus and saute until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the cavatelli directly into the skillet with the asparagus. Add about half of the asparagus juice and allow to simmer for 1 minute. Add the remaining asparagus juice and the remaining tablespoon lemon juice and cook until the pasta is glossy, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with Pecorino-Romano, lemon zest, dollops of the whipped ricotta, basil and black pepper.
PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS, RICOTTA AND LEMON
This recipe is from the Reader's Digest, Magic foods for better blood sugar book. I don't eat a lot of pasta because let's face it, it's just not that healthy, or low fat. But there are times where I crave pasta and am always looking for a healthy, fast and tasty version to have on hand. This serves nice with a side salad and a piece of low glycemic bread such as pumpernickel or sourdough. Instead of butter, a low fat ricotta mixed with a tsp of olive oil and some chili flakes is a nice low glycemic spread. There is also a variation here for Penne with Spinach, Ricotta and Lemon, however I have not tried this variation.
Provided by kelly in TO
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 40m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of light salted water to a boil for cooking the penne.
- Stir together the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
- Add the penne to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally for 4 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until the penne is al dente (Do not overcook penne) and the asparagus is tender, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and asparagus and place in a large bowl.
- Add 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to the ricotta mixture, whisking until smooth. Toss the pasta with the ricotta sauce.
- Pass the remaining parmesan separately.
- One serving is 11/2 cups.
- VARIATION: Penne with Spinach, Ricotta, and Lemon.
- In step 3 omit the asparagus; cook the penne for 8 to10 minutes. While the penne is cooking, cook one 10 ounce (300-gram) package of frozen spinach according to package directions. In step 4 Toss the penne with the ricotta sauce and spinach.
ONE-POT PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND RICOTTA
This recipe is sponsored by Target. Everything cooks in the same pot in this game-changing dinner: the aromatics (onions and garlic), the spring vegetables (asparagus and peas), and even the noodles (no separate pot of boiling water necessary!). It's finished with lemon, fresh basil and dollops of creamy ricotta.
Provided by Kelly Senyei
Categories main-dish
Time 30m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Combine the pasta, onions, garlic, asparagus, broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture boils, 7 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the frozen peas and continue to cook until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the pasta to serving bowls and top with dollops of ricotta and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Garnish with basil leaves and serve.
GEMELLI WITH RICOTTA PEAS AND LEMON
Make and share this Gemelli With Ricotta Peas and Lemon recipe from Food.com.
Provided by dicentra
Categories Healthy
Time 20m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Cook pasta. Add peas to pasta cooking water during last 2 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
- To the pasta add tarragon, salt, cheese, lemon zest, juice and oil, tossing gently to coat.
- Stir in just enough of the reserved pasta water to create a creamy sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 399.8, Fat 12.6, SaturatedFat 5.8, Cholesterol 31.4, Sodium 383.5, Carbohydrate 54.8, Fiber 5.4, Sugar 4.5, Protein 17.5
Tips for Making Gemelli with Asparagus, Ricotta, Arugula, and Lemon Zest
- Choose the right asparagus. Look for asparagus spears that are thin and green, with tight tips. Avoid spears that are thick or woody, as they will be tough to cook.
- Cook the asparagus properly. Asparagus can be cooked in a variety of ways, but the most common method is to blanch it. To blanch asparagus, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the asparagus is bright green and tender. Immediately remove the asparagus from the boiling water and plunge it into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Make sure the ricotta is fresh. Ricotta cheese is a key ingredient in this dish, so it's important to use fresh, high-quality cheese. Look for ricotta that is creamy and smooth, with no signs of spoilage.
- Use good-quality olive oil. Olive oil is another important ingredient in this dish, so it's important to use a good-quality oil. Look for olive oil that is extra virgin and has a fruity flavor.
- Season the dish to taste. This dish is simple, so it's important to season it to taste. Add salt, pepper, and lemon zest to taste until the dish is flavorful and balanced.
Conclusion
This dish is a delicious and easy-to-make pasta dish that is perfect for a light lunch or dinner. The asparagus, ricotta, arugula, and lemon zest all come together to create a dish that is both flavorful and refreshing. If you're looking for a new pasta dish to try, this is a great option.
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