Courgette Ricotta Pasta Recipes

LIME AND RICOTTA COURGETTE PASTA

Steps:

• Place a large pot of salted water to boil.
• Wash and cut yellow and green zucchini in half widthwise, then in half length wise. Cut into small stands creating a shoestring or match stick shape.
• In a saute pan drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the e.v.o. oil. Bring to a medium to high heat. Sprinkle in chili flakes. Toss in minced garlic followed by the courgette (zucchini) strands immediately, as to not let the garlic burn.
• Saute for about 5 minutes seasoning with fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.
• Take off heat and set aside.
• While courgette are sauteing, place spaghetti into the boiling water and cook for about 8 minutes or a couple of minutes before the suggested cooking time. Put saute pan with zucchini (courgette) onto heat again, toss in spaghetti and toss well making sure to get all the oil and courgette infused into the pasta. Keep some of the pasta cooking water.
• Zest the lime into the pan, and also squeeze the juice in and toss again.
• Sprinkle in ricotta and some of the grated Grana Padano and pour in some of the pasta water, just enough to create a bit of sauce.
• Sprinkle in fresh basil slivers, and chopped parsley, finish with a splash of olive oil, toss and take off heat. This last phase of cooking takes about 3-4 minutes.
• Plate pasta and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Grana Padano.
• Ready to serve. Enjoy!

COURGETTE & RICOTTA PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the shallot and courgettes for 8 mins until softened. When they are just beginning to colour, add the garlic and cook for 2 mins more.
• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a little of the water. Tip the pasta into the courgette pan with the basil, lemon zest, Parmesan and pine nuts. Season, dot over the ricotta and mix gently so that you don't break it up too much. Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan, if you like.

SUMMER PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
• Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
• Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

ZUCCHINI PASTA WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush two rimmed baking sheets with oil. Arrange zucchini in a single layer on sheets and brush tops with oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast zucchini until tender and lightly golden in parts, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook linguine according to package instructions. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add oil, lemon zest, and zucchini and toss to combine. Serve pasta topped with ricotta.

PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI RICOTTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when hot add zucchini, along with a large pinch of salt and a sprinkling of pepper.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini begins to brown, then lower heat and cook until it is quite tender, about 15 minutes total. About 5 minutes before it is done, stir in garlic and begin to cook pasta.
• While pasta cooks, warm a serving bowl and put ricotta in it, along with about half the basil. When pasta is tender but not mushy, remove and drain it, reserving about a cup of its cooking liquid.
• Use as much of this liquid as necessary, a bit at a time, to thin ricotta until it reaches a saucy consistency. Toss with pasta, zucchini, remaining basil and Parmesan, if you are using it, then taste and adjust seasoning. Serve.

ZUCCHINI RICOTTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-in. slices. Place in a basket over 1 in. of boiling water. Cover and steam until just tender, 5-6 minutes. Drain; pat dry. , In a large bowl, combine ricotta, egg substitute, 3 tablespoons bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons Parmesan, parsley, oregano, basil and pepper; set aside. , Spread a third of the spaghetti sauce in a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. Cover with half of the zucchini, ricotta mixture and mozzarella. Repeat layers of sauce, zucchini, ricotta mixture and mozzarella. Cover with remaining sauce., Combine remaining crumbs and Parmesan; sprinkle over top. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Uncover; bake until golden brown, 15 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

ZUCCHINI RICOTTA PASTA SKILLET (COOKING FOR 2)

Steps:

• In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until zucchini begins to brown. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds. Remove from skillet.
• Add pasta and broth to same skillet; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 11 to 13 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente. (There will be a little liquid left in the skillet.)
• Stir in ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and sautéed zucchini. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and basil. Transfer to serving bowl; garnish with more chopped basil, if desired. Serve with more Parmesan cheese on the side, if desired.

HERBED RICOTTA PASTA WITH CORN AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes less than package instructions; add corn and cook until tender, 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup pasta water, ricotta, and Parmesan. Add pasta mixture, zucchini, basil, and dill and toss to combine. Add more pasta water if necessary to create a light sauce that coats pasta. Season with salt and pepper and top with more basil and Parmesan.

RICOTTA AND ZUCCHINI CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Place the peas in a colander and rinse them under hot running water to thaw. Drain well and place in a big bowl. Using a fork or potato masher, roughly mash the peas. Crack the eggs on top and add the ricotta, spinach, mint, lemon rind, salt and pepper. Mix well with a spatula.
• Place 1 heaped tablespoon of the pea mixture at one end of each slice of zucchini. Roll up the slices to enclose the filling.
• Pour the puree into a 22cm x 30cm (2-litre-capacity) baking dish. Nestle the zucchini rolls into the dish so they fit snugly. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Wear your oven gloves to take the dish from the oven and allow to cool a little, before spooning onto serving plates.