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Prep time
5 minutes
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Cook time
15 minutes
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Serves
2
Author Notes
This super-simple dinner is what I call a “last day before grocery shopping” pasta. The Calabrian chile paste brings heat and sweetness to the dish but the ricotta mellows it out for young palates. A glass of milk helps too. —Samantha Seneviratne
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Watch This Recipe
Spicy Scallion Pasta With Ricotta
Ingredients
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Kosher salt
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8 ounces
rigatoni or other short pasta shape
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2 tablespoons
unsalted butter, divided
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1/2 cup
Panko bread crumbs
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2 bunches
scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
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1
clove garlic, thinly sliced
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2 teaspoons
finely grated lemon zest
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1 teaspoon
Calabrian chile paste (or to taste, depending on your family)
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Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
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Whole milk ricotta cheese, for serving
Directions
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and set aside, reserving at least a cup of pasta water for later.
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In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter until it foams. Add the breadcrumbs and toast until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and put the skillet back on the heat.
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To the skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and let it melt and foam. Add the scallions and garlic and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt, then add the lemon zest and a teaspoon (or more!) of the Calabrian chile paste. Stir to combine and cook for just a minute longer.
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Add the reserved cooked pasta to the scallion mixture and cook over low to combine, splashing in a bit of pasta water as necessary to help the scallions get jammy and cover the pasta evenly. Shower with Parmigiano-Reggiano and let melt slightly to become a saucy texture.
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Divide the pasta into two bowls and serve topped with a dollop of ricotta, more Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the toasted breadcrumbs.
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