Sicilian Ricotta Pasta 2 ways

5 from 34 votes

Pasta with ricotta is a simple and fast traditional Italian recipe made with fresh ricotta and one or two other ingredients. Here is one version with just nutmeg and another with chopped walnuts. Both ways are delicious and healthy. Italian kids love ricotta pasta. Yours will too!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, Sicilian, Southern Italian

Keyword: authentic Italian pasta recipe, fusilli, Italian recipe, organic pasta, ricotta, Sicilian food, walnuts

Servings:

Calories: 666kcal

Author: Jacqui

Ingredients

400 g fusilli (14oz) or other short pasta. I used organic wholewheat fusilli from Benedetto Cavalieri
300 g fresh ricotta (10-11oz) I used cow's ricotta.
salt for pasta and to taste
ground black pepper to taste
½ teaspoon nutmeg grated

For ricotta with walnuts instead of nutmeg

50 g walnuts (2oz) chopped or other nuts of your choice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
1 garlic clove peeled and finely chopped

Optional

50 g Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano (2oz) grated. Vegetarians should use vegetarian cheese

Instructions

Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. When the pasta is ready save a cup of the cooking water and drain.
While the pasta is cooking, mix the ricotta with some grated nutmeg and ground black pepper in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and a little bit of pasta cooking water to soften the ricotta (this is best done after the pasta has been cooking for 5 minutes or is cooked). Cream using a fork or handheld blender.
Add the drained pasta to the ricotta, mix everything well and serve. If the pasta is too dry, add a little more cooking water. Serve with grated parmigiano or grana if required

For ricotta and walnuts instead of nutmeg

Put the walnuts, chopped garlic and olive oil in a food processor and pulse a few times til walnuts are granular but not too fine. Add this walnut mixture to fresh ricotta instead of the nutmeg in step 2.

Notes

These ricotta pasta recipes can be made with short pasta tubes or even spaghetti. I used organic whole wheat fusilli by Benedetto Cavalieri.

This recipe can be made with cow's milk ricotta, sheep ricotta or a mix of the two. I used fresh cow's milk ricotta from La Bolzonella dairy farm near Padova.

Nutrition