Quick meal: Pan-fried pasta with pesto and ricotta
Here's a tasty and inexpensive way to turn a bit of leftover pasta into a savory meal. And it goes from pan to plate in about 5 minutes.
By Chris BaskindSun, Mar 21 2010 at 2:53 PM EST
Photo: brenbot/Flickr
Pan-fried pasta with pesto and ricotta
One of the great things about pasta is that it's easy to prepare ahead of time, and will last several days in the refrigerator. The next time you're doing a spaghetti or fettuccini dinner, reserve a little for a fast meal later.
This dish can be prepared from fresh or refrigerated pasta in a single skillet. Feel free to adjust the quantities to taste, or double it and serve with a veggie side as a full meal.
You'll need:
- A serving of leftover spaghetti or fettucini
- 2 tablespoons of your favorite olive oil
- 1 teaspoon (about two cloves) of finely minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons of pesto
- 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- A pinch of coarse kosher or sea salt
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste
Time Estimates
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Preparation
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Bring a large skillet or wok to high heat and add the olive oil, covering the pan bottom. Add the garlic and spaghetti. Toss, turning occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until the garlic begins to turn golden brown.
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Add the ricotta cheese, basil, and a pinch of salt. Toss thoroughly, distributing the ricotta and basil through the pasta. Continue heating about 2 minutes until all the ingredients are warm. Don't allow the garlic to burn.
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Immediately serve the pasta and combined ingredients to a large plate. Garnish liberally with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a sprig of basil, if available. Bonus points if it came from your own garden!
Serves 1.
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