Pasta SunDried Tomato Pesto
Volume 1 · Pasta Perfetto
Pasta con pesto di pomodori secchi, ricotta e alici
Description
A bold, savory pasta where sun-dried tomato pesto meets creamy ricotta and briny anchovies. The pesto comes together in minutes in a blender, and the ricotta stirred in at the end creates a luscious, creamy sauce without any cream. A quick weeknight winner from the Italian pantry.
Yield
4 servings
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
12 minutes
Total Time
22 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
- 320 g (11 oz) dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)
- 150 g (5.3 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 100 g (3.5 oz) ricotta cheese
- 6 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil (from the sun-dried tomato jar or plain)
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves, plus extra for garnish
- 40 g (⅓ cup) walnuts or pine nuts
Instructions
- Start the pasta water. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions.
- Make the pesto. While the pasta cooks, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, anchovy fillets, garlic, walnuts or pine nuts, parsley, and olive oil in a blender or food processor. Pulse until a coarse, thick pesto forms — scrape down the sides as needed. Do not over-blend; a little texture is welcome.
- Reserve pasta water. Just before draining the pasta, ladle out about 1 cup (240 ml) of the starchy cooking water.
- Toss and finish. Return the drained pasta to the pot (off the heat). Add the sun-dried tomato pesto and the ricotta, along with 3–4 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously until the ricotta melts into a creamy sauce that coats every strand. Add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed to loosen.
- Serve. Divide among warm bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if desired.
Equipment Needed
Large pot, blender or food processor, colander, wooden spoon or tongs
Chef's Notes
- The anchovies do not make the dish taste fishy — they melt into the background, adding deep umami and savory complexity. If you are truly opposed, omit them and add an extra pinch of salt and a splash of fish sauce or miso as a substitute.
- Use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar for the pesto whenever possible — it carries concentrated tomato flavor.
- Ricotta varies widely in moisture content. If yours is very wet, drain it in a fine-mesh sieve for 10 minutes before using so the sauce doesn't become watery.
- Toasted pine nuts make a lovely garnish on top in addition to being blended into the pesto.
Related Recipes
- Almond Olive Pesto (#112)
- Pasta Ricotta Avocado (#101)
- Ortigia Linguine (#188)
- Pasta Rocket Pesto Eggplant Stracciatella (#115)
Source
Adapted from classic Italian cucina povera preparations
Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 1 · Pasta Perfetto. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.