Fresh pastas are wonderful with a number of sauces, but for me, something about their soft, eggy texture just screams for a creamy sauce companion. With half of a container of organic, whole milk ricotta cheese in the fridge, I settled on a fresh fettuccine tossed with roasted summer squash, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and a creamy ricotta sauce. To liven things up a bit, I actually added some warm saffron-infused olive oil into the ricotta cheese for added flavor and color. And to top it all off with some crunch, I crisped up some thin slices of prosciutto in the oven and crumbled them on top of everything. Buon appetito.
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Fresh Fettuccine with Squash & Saffron Ricotta
Ingredients:
- 1 zucchini, cut into half moons
- 1 yellow squash, cut into half moons
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- (1) package fresh fettuccine noodles, cooked according to package instructions (save 1 cup of pasta water)
- 7-8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese (1/2 of a 15-ounce container)
- pinch of saffron
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, julienned
- 2 oz. thinly sliced prosiutto, crisped up in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, crumbled
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with olive oil-coated parchment paper. Arrange the cut zucchini, squash and cherry tomatoes on the prepared pan. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil; season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a big grinding of black pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the veggies are tender.
- In a small saute pan or saucepan heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil along with the saffron and the sliced garlic over low heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, or until the saffron melts into the oil. Set aside and let cool for 5 minutes. Then, pour into the ricotta cheese in a mixing bowl, stir to combine. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a big grinding of black pepper.
- Toss the cooked pasta together (with tongs) with the ricotta and to start, 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Toss and add more water as needed, so that the sauce coats each strand of pasta. Toss in the cooked veggies.
- Serve each bowl of pasta with some of the fresh basil and some of the crumbled prosciutto crisps.
Tagged: cherry tomatoes, fettuccine, fresh basil, fresh fettuccine, fresh pasta, garlic, pasta, prosciutto, prosciutto chips, ricotta cheese, ricotta pasta, ricotta sauce, roasted summer squash, saffron, saffron ricotta, squash, summer squash, yellow squash, zucchini
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