Description
A creamy, comforting pasta dish featuring rigatoni coated in rich ricotta, fresh spinach, and topped with golden fried zucchini. Perfect for a quick yet elegant meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces Rigatoni Pasta
- 1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
- 5 ounces Fresh Spinach
- 2 small Zucchini, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup Pasta Water, reserved
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil for the rigatoni. At the same time, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together ricotta, chopped spinach, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
- In the heated skillet, fry the zucchini slices until golden and tender-crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
- Cook the rigatoni according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining. Return the pasta to the pot, add the ricotta-spinach mix, and stir gently.
- Add a splash of pasta water and continue stirring until the ricotta coats the pasta in a creamy sauce.
- Stir in half of the fried zucchini and sprinkle in the grated Parmesan. Drizzle remaining olive oil.
- Serve warm with the rest of the zucchini on top and extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Use fresh ricotta for best texture and flavor.
- Fry zucchini in batches to avoid sogginess.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency.
- Add lemon zest or chili flakes for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 340mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 30mg