Bowtie Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas, Ricotta, & Lemon

This one-pot vegetarian pasta proves that simple food is often the best food

Whenever I meet new people and they find out that I have a blog, their first question is always "What's your favorite thing to cook?" and the answer is never easy. My favorite thing to cook is not always my favorite thing to eat and my tastes are always changing. On a chilly winter day, my favorite thing to cook is probably a big pot of soup or a braise in my Le Crueset dutch oven. But on a weeknight in the middle of summer? I want to cook whatever is quick and easy and doesn't leave a big mess in the kitchen. Enter this recipe for bow ties with sugar snap peas, ricotta, and lemon, which I adapted from Smitten Kitchen. It's a complete one-pot dish, meaning that the pasta and the vegetables cook together in the same boiling water, then are drained and returned to the same pot to be tossed with some cheese and lemon and herbs. I did go to the extra step and made my own homemade ricotta the night before and I think it was well worth the effort for the extra richness it added to the dish. But if you want to make the dish tonight or don't feel like making your own cheese, just buy some good quality full-fat ricotta from the store and you can have this dinner on the table in about fifteen minutes.


More One-Pot Pasta Recipes:
- Pesto Orecchiette with Chicken, Peas, & Fava Beans
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Corn, Arugula, & Mascarpone Orecchiette


Bowtie Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas, Ricotta, & Lemon:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt.
• Meanwhile, de-string 12 oz. of sugar snap peas and slice into 1/2" pieces.
• Add 1/2 lb. of bow tie pasta* to the water and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directs.
• Add in the sugar snaps and cook for another minute.
• Drain the pasta and peas, reserving 1 c. pasta cooking water.
• Add the pasta, peas, a splash of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the pot over medium-high heat.
• Cook for a minute and stir often.
• Turn off the heat and add in the zest of 1/2 lemon, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese, and 3/4 c. fresh ricotta cheese in spoonfuls all over the pasta.
• Lightly toss but don't fully combine the ricotta.
• Divide onto plates and garnish with minced parsley and more grated parmesan.

Serves two-three

*Called farfalle pasta.