Lemon Ricotta Pasta - Amber Ladle

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti

02 - 1 tablespoon kosher salt for pasta water

→ Ricotta-Lemon Sauce

03 - 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

04 - 1 large lemon, zested and juiced

05 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

06 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

07 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

09 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley, chopped

11 - Lemon zest, extra

12 - Freshly ground black pepper

# How to make it:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

02 - While the pasta cooks, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, black pepper, and salt until smooth and creamy.

03 - Add the hot drained spaghetti to the bowl with the ricotta-lemon sauce. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta luxuriously.

04 - Divide among bowls. Top with extra Parmesan, fresh basil or parsley, more lemon zest, and a grind of black pepper.

05 - Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

It comes together faster than ordering takeout and tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen.
The lemon keeps it from feeling heavy, even though ricotta makes it luxurious.
You can toss in whatever greens or vegetables are wilting in your fridge and it still works.
Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of water or olive oil.

02 -

Don't skip the pasta water, it's the magic ingredient that turns ricotta into a real sauce instead of clumps of cheese.
Add the pasta water a little at a time, too much and your sauce will turn soupy instead of creamy.
Toss the pasta while it's still steaming hot or the ricotta won't melt properly and you'll end up with a grainy texture.

03 -