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Pasta with homemade tomato sauce and ricotta
A delicious Italian homemade tomato sauce and creamed fresh ricotta make this simple dish one you'll want to make time and again.
Ingredients
- 400 g spaccatelle pasta or pasta of your choice
- 200 g fresh ricotta
- 20-24 cherry tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves
- 2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt for pasta and to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 50 g Parmesan cheese grated (optional)
Instructions
- Peel the garlic and chop the basil
- Wash the tomatoes and cut them in half. If you want, you can blanch the tomatoes and peel them first or cook them with all the peel. I usually cook small tomatoes with the peel.
- Put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet, add the cloves of garlic.
- As soon as the garlic begins to brown slightly, add the chopped tomatoes, a few leaves of basil and a pinch of salt. Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Cook the pasta slightly less than al dente according to the instructions on the packet.
- While the pasta is cooking, put the ricotta in a bowl, add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and cream with a fork until you have a creamy consistency.
- When the pasta is ready, save a cup of the water and drain it. Add the pasta to the pan with the tomato sauce and mix the sauce and pasta together well. Remove the garlic cloves if you prefer.
- Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for a minute or 2 on a low heat, adding some of the pasta cooking water if necessary.
- When cooked, remove the pasta from the heat and add some chopped fresh basil.
- You can add the ricotta to the pasta and mix well or you can put it in the bottom of the pasta bowls and put the pasta and tomato sauce on top (this is what I did!) Serve with some more fresh basil, black pepper and grated parmesan if required.
Notes
I used Sicilian spaccatelle for this recipe but you can use almost any pasta type. Spaghetti or penne are traditional choices.
You can serve this dish without the ricotta, which is how many Italians often eat it!
Nutrition
Calories: 587kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 24gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 258mgPotassium: 480mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 762IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 286mgIron: 2mg
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michele says
My daughter and I made this tonight. Easy and satisfying for two tired people. We made a bit more sauce than called for, upped the amount of ricotta in each bowl, and added a lot of fresh basil and a goodly amount of pepper. Thank you for another delicious recipe that really showcases the lovely flavours of simple but good ingredients.
Jacqui says
Thanks for your comment Michele. I'm really happy you liked this recipe. Yes, some of the best Italian pasta recipes really are simple. It's all in the ingredients!
Chef Mireille says
LOVE the simple ingredients in this pasta - using fresh simple ingredients for optimal flavor often makes a great dish
admin says
I agree Mireille, often the simplest recipes are the best, especially if the ingredients are fresh! All the best from Verona! Jacqui
Al says
Thank You. Can some fetabe afford to the ricotta ,just a few spoonfuls for some zing
Jacqui says
Thanks for your comment AI. If I understood you correctly you ask if some feta can be added to the ricotta. I think you can. It would give the cheese a stronger flavour!
Casey says
There is not a single thing in this dish that I do not love! The ingredients are so simple but so flavorful! I cannot wait to make this for myself one night!!
admin says
Thanks so much Casey! I love this dish too. Simple is so often best, especially with fresh ingredients! All the best. Jacqui
Stephanie Simmons says
This sounds amazing! I love making homemade tomato sauce!
admin says
Grazie Stephanie! This is an awesome dish. So tasty and yet so simple! Hugs from Verona! Jacqui
Claire says
I loved the idea of the ricotta on the plate first! I just had to try it!
So delicious and my kids loved it.
admin says
That's great to hear Claire! I love the idea of the ricotta too. It makes the dish so special, even though it's a simple recipe! All the best from Verona! Jacqui
Linda | Brunch-n-Bites says
Oh yum! This pasta looks so awesome. I love how add fresh ingredients to this pasta and that tomato sauce sounds so refreshing. I've never tried spaccatelle before so that's on my list.
admin says
Thanks so much Linda, happy you like this recipe! Yes, fresh is best! Spaccatelle is a great pasta from Sicily, but unfortunately not widely available. You may find it online though! All the best Jacqui
mydeliciousmeals says
Guess what? Have all the ingredients ) definitely trying this one on the weekend. Kind of getting tired of grilling )) And I'm sure my kids would love this
admin says
That's great Helen! I'm sure you'll love it. The kids too! Buon appetito! Jacqui
Mayuri Patel says
Pasta with ricotta and freshly home made tomato sauce sounds delicious. I love pasta, have to try with ricotta cheese next time I make it. Its like how so many Indian dishes too have tomato and potato. Both were introduced by the Portuguese.
admin says
I'm sure you'll love serving ricotta this way Mayuri! It's seriously delish! Tomatoes were brought to Europe by the Spanish. I'm not sure about potatoes. I have to look that up! Happy weekend from Verona! Jacqui
Nayna Kanabar says
Pasta is so versatile you can flavour it with any sauce and this combination sounds wonderful and so tasty.
admin says
Thank you Nayna! Yes that's why it's my favourite food!! There are so many delicious pasta recipes and often the most simple are the tastiest! All the best from Verona! Jacqui
Alison Rost says
It's nice to learn more about how tomatoes became a vital ingredient in Italian cuisine. I just love how versatile it is as well. It's a lovely ingredient that's perfect for any season.
admin says
Thanks Alison! I love learning about and sharing these food history facts! Tomatoes have become such an important ingredient in Italian cuisine. It's funny to think they weren't originally grown in Europe! Happy weekend! Jacqui
Dick Kessler says
I will try the ricotta unmixed. A great idea. In sw us we get romas at 33 cents per pound so I freeze 20 to 40 pounds for dugo in 1 lb bags and remove the skin in the sugo. There is one place trader Joe's that sells California grown San marzanos. What a treat completely different taste from romas. So we are trying to germinate a bunch of seeds for our own San marzanos
admin says
I'm sure you'll love serving the ricotta unmixed Dick! Fabulous if you manage to get seeds your own San Marzanos! They really are great tomatoes for sauce, although I love using cherry or datterini tomatoes too!