Pea Ricotta Pasta with Mint

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as penne, fusilli, or orecchiette

02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 2/3 cups fresh or frozen peas

04 - 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

05 - Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

→ Dairy

06 - 1 cup ricotta cheese

07 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ Herbs and Seasonings

08 - 1 small bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

09 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

10 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water, then drain pasta.

02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

03 - Add peas to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, slightly longer if using frozen peas, until bright and just tender.

04 - Add drained pasta to the pan with peas. Toss to combine.

05 - Remove from heat. Stir in ricotta, lemon zest, Parmesan, and half of the chopped mint. Add enough reserved pasta water to create a creamy sauce that coats the pasta.

06 - Season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Divide among plates and sprinkle with remaining mint and extra Parmesan.

# Additional Tips::

01 -

It comes together faster than you'd expect for something that tastes this refined and bright.
The ricotta melts into a luxurious sauce without any cream, which feels like you've gotten away with something delicious.
Fresh mint transforms from a background note into something unmistakably alive and present in every bite.

02 -

Don't add the ricotta while the pan is still on heat, or you'll end up with grainy little curds instead of a silky sauce—the residual warmth is enough to loosen it.
That reserved pasta water is not optional; it's the difference between sauce and glop, and the starch in it is what binds everything together into something cohesive and luxurious.

03 -

Taste the pasta water before you drain it—if it's not salty enough, your whole dish suffers, so season aggressively from the start.
Serve the pasta immediately in warm bowls; this dish cools quickly and loses its appeal when it sits, so have your bowls warming and your table set before the pasta even finishes cooking.