Pasta with Calabrian Hot Honey Ricotta
Inspired by the Half Baked Harvest shells recipe (unstuffed stuffed shells) this pasta with Calabrian hot honey ricotta is a delicious and easy way to enjoy pasta with ricotta.
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Servings: 5
Calories: 631kcal
Equipment
- Electric hand mixer or whisk
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry thyme
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup water (plus more if needed)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (more or less to taste, to soften the acidity of the canned tomatoes)
- 3 sprigs basil
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon hot honey
- 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili oil
- 16 ounces lumaconi pasta (or your favorite tubular pasta such as rigatoni or lumache)
For serving:
- ¼ cup pine nuts (or slivered almonds)
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Start the sauce:
- Heat 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the diced onion and cook for 7 to 10 minutes until it softens.
- Add butter, minced garlic, thyme, and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it deepens in color.
Simmer the sauce:
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar, ½ cup of water, and 3 sprigs of basil. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes. Add more water as needed if the sauce reduces too quickly or sticks to the bottom. Remove and discard the basil after the sauce finishes simmering.
Prepare the whipped ricotta:
- In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons cream, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon hot honey, and 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili oil. Season with salt. Using an electric hand mixer or whisk, blend the ricotta until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more honey, chili oil, or salt if needed. Transfer to the refrigerator until needed.
Toast the pine nuts:
- Turn the heat on a small skillet to medium. Add the pine nuts and toast for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop or crush with a mallet. Alternatively, crush the pine nuts in a mortar and pestle.
Cook the pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the sauce is about 10 minutes away from finishing cooking, add the pasta. Right before draining, scoop out ½ cup of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set it aside. Time this so that you are draining the pasta right as the sauce finishes simmering!
Finish the pasta:
- Taste the sauce and season the sauce to your preferences. Add half the pasta cooking water to the sauce and bring to a low boil. Add the cooked pasta and reduce the heat to low. Gently toss the pasta in the sauce for about 1 minute or until the pasta is completely coated, adding more pasta cooking water if needed. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Spoon the whipped ricotta onto plates and pile the cooked pasta on top. Sprinkle the crushed pine nuts over each dish and finish with fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with more Calabrian chili oil if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 631kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 21g | Sodium: 351mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin C: 21mg
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