Description
Silky lemon butter pasta with ricotta dances with spicy breadcrumbs, creating a Mediterranean-inspired symphony of comfort and zest. Creamy, tangy, and crunchy notes blend seamlessly, inviting you to savor each delightful forkful of this irresistible Italian-style dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Main Ingredients:
- 0.75 pounds angel hair pasta
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 zucchini or yellow summer squash
- 3–4 cloves garlic
Seasoning and Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2–1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1 lemon
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Cooking and Topping Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 6 tablespoons cold salted butter
Instructions
- Craft the spicy breadcrumbs by heating olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Toast breadcrumbs with capers and crushed red pepper flakes, stirring frequently until golden and crisp, approximately 4 minutes. Remove and season with salt.
- Boil a pot of salted water and cook pasta until perfectly al dente. Drain pasta thoroughly.
- Caramelize lemon slices in a skillet over medium-high heat with butter, searing each side for roughly 1 minute. Finely chop the caramelized lemon and blend with fresh basil.
- In the same skillet, melt remaining butter and sauté zucchini, garlic, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, cooking until zucchini turns golden and garlic becomes fragrant, about 5 minutes. Carefully stir in cooked pasta and half the lemon-basil mixture.
- Spread ricotta cheese across serving bowls. Transfer the pasta directly onto the ricotta. Generously sprinkle the crispy spiced breadcrumbs on top. Finish with remaining lemon-basil mixture. Gently twirl pasta to incorporate the creamy ricotta.
Notes
- Prevent burning breadcrumbs by stirring frequently and keeping heat at medium, watching carefully during toasting.
- Choose fresh zucchini with firm texture to ensure golden crispy edges when sautéing in butter.
- Adjust spice levels by reducing or increasing red pepper flakes based on personal heat tolerance.
- Use gluten-free breadcrumbs and pasta for celiac-friendly version without compromising delicious flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg