475gramswhole milk ricotta (a little over 1 pound)
saltto taste
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously and boil spaghetti until al dente.
Meanwhile, place ricotta in a medium sized bowl. Scoop as much pasta water as needed to create a smooth, creamy sauce. I add about 1 cup. Add salt to taste if necessary.
Scoop the cooked spaghetti directly into 4 pasta bowls using a spaghetti scooper.
Divide the ricotta mixture among the bowls. Stir the ricotta into the spaghetti and serve immediately.
Notes
Variations:
We enjoy this pasta with ricotta as is. However there are lots of ways you can dress it up!
Stir in some sautéed spinach, zucchini or peas, with or without a clove of garlic.
Serve with grated parmigiano cheese.
Several readers shared with me that their nonnas served it with a spoonful of sugar. I'm intrigued, however I have yet to try this myself!
What types of pasta go well with ricotta?
My mom always makes this dish with spaghettini but you may substitute spaghetti or a shorter pasta such as penne, rigatoni, fusilli or shells. Or basically just about any type of pasta you have availabel!
How to reheat leftovers:
Pasta with ricotta is best eaten right away as it tends to dry out once cooled. However if you do have any leftovers keep them refrigerated for up to 3 days.
I recommend you reserve some of the pasta water in order to stir it into the pasta when reheating.
Alternately, stir in a spoonful or two of milk when reheating.
More tips:
This recipe serves between 3-4 people, depending on portion size.
Some varieties of ricotta are more dry than others. Be sure to reserve pasta water to add as needed in order to have a creamy texture.