Lemon pasta with ricotta and butter beans
Recipe for creamy lemon pasta with butter beans and broccolini.
Ingredients
- 200 g broccolini or Tenderstem broccoli
- 400 g pasta
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 150 g ricotta
- 1-2 lemons, finely grated zest and juice
- 25 g parmesan, finely grated
- 1 tin butter beans or cannellini beans, drained
- 4 stalks basil, leaves only - chopped
- 200 ml cooking water from the pasta
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Olive oil
Method
- Trim the tough end of the stalks off the broccolini and cut the rest into smaller florets. Set aside.
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, heat a splash of oil in a frying pan and fry the onion in it until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook for about a minute.
- Meanwhile, whisk the ricotta together with the juice and finely grated zest of one lemon, freshly ground pepper and a little of the pasta water. Pour it into the pan and heat through.
- Stir the parmesan into the sauce until it melts, and season the sauce to taste with more lemon juice and zest, salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Toss the butter beans and broccolini in the sauce and heat through for a couple of minutes before adding the basil - adding more pasta water if needed so you have a soft, creamy sauce.
- Finally, toss the pasta thoroughly in the sauce, adjust the consistency with more pasta water if needed, and serve.