Tagliatelle with Lemon Ricotta, Asparagus and Peas

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the ingredients

   Cut the asparagus into pieces about 3 cm long. Grate the lemon zest and squeeze the lemon. Stir the ricotta together with the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and the black pepper.

   
2. 2

   Toast the seeds and sear the asparagus

   Heat a large dry pan and toast the pumpkin seeds for 2–3 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to pop lightly. Transfer them to a plate. Pour the olive oil into the pan, add the asparagus and cook over medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes. Stir occasionally; the asparagus should be golden at the edges but still firm. Add the garlic only for the last 30 seconds.

   
3. 3

   Cook the tagliatelle and peas

   Bring the water to a rolling boil in a pot, add 8 g of salt and cook the tagliatelle according to the package instructions, until al dente. Add the peas to the pot for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Before draining, reserve 120 ml of pasta water.

   
4. 4

   Combine the pasta with the ricotta

   Whisk 80 ml of hot pasta water into the bowl of ricotta. Add the drained tagliatelle and peas to the pan with the asparagus, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ricotta mixture. Add the grated hard cheese and mix; if the sauce is too thick, gradually add the remaining reserved pasta water, a spoonful at a time. Taste and add the remaining lemon juice if needed.

   
5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Divide the pasta among three warm plates. Sprinkle with the toasted pumpkin seeds and serve immediately, while the sauce is creamy and the asparagus still holds its shape.