Fusilli (or Rotini) with Ricotta & Spinach
This recipe is adapted from the recipe of America's Test Kitchen. A 10-ounce box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, can be substituted for the fresh spinach, if necessary.
Yield
10 servingsPrep
25 minCook
12 minReady
40 minIngredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | ounces |
ricotta cheese
whole milk |
|
| 3 | tablespoons |
olive oil, extra-virgin
|
|
|
salt and black pepper
to taste |
*
|
||
| 1 | pound |
pasta, fusilli
rotini or other spiral pasta |
|
| 1 | pound |
baby spinach
or 10 ounces prepared frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry |
*
|
| ½ | cup |
yellow onion
minced |
|
| 4 | cloves |
garlic
minced |
|
| ¼ | teaspoon |
nutmeg
fresh ground |
|
| ⅛ | teaspoon |
cayenne pepper
optional |
|
| ¼ | cup |
light cream (half&half)
|
|
| 1 | teaspoon |
lemon zest
|
|
| 2 | teaspoons |
lemon juice
or more to taste |
|
|
Parmesan cheese
shredded, or finely Parmesan cheese for serving |
*
|
Ingredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 317.9 | ml/g |
ricotta cheese
whole milk |
|
| 45 | ml |
olive oil, extra-virgin
|
|
| 1 | x |
salt and black pepper
to taste |
*
|
| 453.6 | g |
pasta, fusilli
rotini or other spiral pasta |
|
| 453.6 | g |
baby spinach
or 10 ounces prepared frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry |
*
|
| 118 | ml |
yellow onion
minced |
|
| 4 | cloves |
garlic
minced |
|
| 1.3 | ml |
nutmeg
fresh ground |
|
| 0.6 | ml |
cayenne pepper
optional |
|
| 59 | ml |
light cream (half&half)
|
|
| 5 | ml |
lemon zest
|
|
| 1E+1 | ml |
lemon juice
or more to taste |
|
| 1 | x |
Parmesan cheese
shredded, or finely Parmesan cheese for serving |
*
|
Directions
Combine 1 cup of the ricotta cheese, 1 Tbs. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. black pepper and 1/8 tsp. salt in a small bowl; set aside.
Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, heat 2 Tbs. olive oil a small skillet over medium heat; add the onion and sauté 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic, along with the nutmeg and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and whisk in 1/3 cup ricotta, cream or half and half, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1/2 tsp. salt.
Take 1 cup of the pasta cooking water out of the pot and reserve it for later. Stir spinach (only if using fresh) into the pot of pasta and water, cooking until wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain pasta and spinach; return them to the same pot.
Add the ricotta/onion/garlic sauce in the pan to the hot pasta and spinach in the pot; toss to combine; Let the pasta rest a few minutes to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally, and adjust the consistency, if need be, with some of the reserved pasta cooking water (generally, you will only need about 1/4-1/3 cup).
Remove the pasta to a warmed serving dish and top with spoonsful/dollops of the ricotta mixture made in step 1. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
