PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS, RICOTTA AND LEMON
This recipe is from the Reader's Digest, Magic foods for better blood sugar book. I don't eat a lot of pasta because let's face it, it's just not that healthy, or low fat. But there are times where I crave pasta and am always looking for a healthy, fast and tasty version to have on hand. This serves nice with a side salad and a piece of low glycemic bread such as pumpernickel or sourdough. Instead of butter, a low fat ricotta mixed with a tsp of olive oil and some chili flakes is a nice low glycemic spread. There is also a variation here for Penne with Spinach, Ricotta and Lemon, however I have not tried this variation.
Provided by kelly in TO
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 40m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of light salted water to a boil for cooking the penne.
- Stir together the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
- Add the penne to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally for 4 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until the penne is al dente (Do not overcook penne) and the asparagus is tender, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and asparagus and place in a large bowl.
- Add 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to the ricotta mixture, whisking until smooth. Toss the pasta with the ricotta sauce.
- Pass the remaining parmesan separately.
- One serving is 11/2 cups.
- VARIATION: Penne with Spinach, Ricotta, and Lemon.
- In step 3 omit the asparagus; cook the penne for 8 to10 minutes. While the penne is cooking, cook one 10 ounce (300-gram) package of frozen spinach according to package directions. In step 4 Toss the penne with the ricotta sauce and spinach.
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RANIER JANE
jane@yahoo.comI love the pop of color that the asparagus adds to this dish. It's such a beautiful and delicious meal.
Nicklas Roetz
n.r0@aol.comThis dish is perfect for a light lunch or dinner. It's also really easy to make, so it's a great option for busy weeknights.
MD. RIAD.4
r.m@yahoo.comI'm not a vegetarian, but I love this dish. The asparagus and ricotta are so flavorful that I don't even miss the meat.
Sammy Donavon
donavon_sammy70@yahoo.comI'm allergic to ricotta cheese, so I used cottage cheese instead. It worked just as well and the dish was still delicious.
Muhammad Khairul
m-khairul@hotmail.frI added some grilled shrimp to this dish and it was amazing! The shrimp added a nice protein boost and the flavors all worked really well together.
Elizabeth Forkuoh
ef@yahoo.comThis dish is a great way to use up leftover asparagus. I had some roasted asparagus from a previous meal and it worked perfectly in this recipe.
Joconitha Tsimane
t@aol.comI had some trouble finding asparagus that was thin enough, so I used green beans instead. It turned out great!
Tyrik Smith
s-tyrik65@hotmail.frI found this dish to be a bit bland. I think it needed more seasoning, maybe some garlic or red pepper flakes.
Annabelle Gordon
gordon-a46@hotmail.comThis dish was a bit too rich for my taste, but I still enjoyed it. I think next time I'll use less ricotta cheese.
ItsHeatCat5 Jarrid K
j-itsheatcat51@hotmail.co.ukI'm not usually a fan of asparagus, but this dish changed my mind. The ricotta and lemon really mellowed out the asparagus flavor, and the pasta was cooked perfectly.
Kalembe Violah
k-v36@gmail.comI made this dish for a dinner party and it was a huge hit! Everyone loved the delicate flavors and the beautiful presentation.
Kalyesubula sharif
sharif53@yahoo.comThis is my new favorite pasta dish! The asparagus and ricotta are a perfect combination, and the lemon adds a lovely freshness. I highly recommend this recipe.
Collin Skinner
c46@gmail.comI loved the simplicity of this dish. It was easy to make and the flavors were amazing. I especially loved the lemony sauce.
Tyler Casper
t-casper28@gmail.comThis dish was absolutely delicious! The asparagus was perfectly cooked and the ricotta and lemon added a wonderful creaminess and brightness. I will definitely be making this again.