Find fresh ricotta, not the tubs of pasteurized cheese from the supermarket shelves, for this recipe: its lush creaminess is crucial to making a simple but ridiculously rich sauce for ribbons of tender zucchini and al dente pasta.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 large zucchini
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, cut into ribbons
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 pound fresh ricotta cheese
Yield: 4 Servings
Directions:
- Fill a 6-quart stockpot with water, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and bring to a boil.
- While the pasta water comes to a boil, rinse the zucchini and shred lengthwise into 1/8-inch ribbons with a mandoline or Japanese slicer. (Please use the hand guard or a cutproof glove when working with the sharp blades of a slicer for safety.)
- Add the spaghetti to the boiling salted water and cook until al dente.
- While the spaghetti cooks, heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, and add the zucchini. Sprinkle with a liberal pinch of kosher salt and stir to coat with the oil. Cook the zucchini for 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender.
- Scoop 1/4 cup pasta water from the stockpot and drain the spaghetti.
- Add the spaghetti, basil, and ricotta to the skillet with the zucchini and toss lightly to combine. If the pasta is sticky, add the reserved water a splash at a time as needed.
- Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
This recipe originally appeared on iVillage.