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Pasta with sun-dried tomato pesto, ricotta, and anchovies

17/11/2023

I am pleased to assist you with the recipe for pasta with sun-dried tomato pesto, ricotta, and anchovies. A dish that combines Mediterranean flavors in a pleasantly rustic and flavorful combination. Here is the recipe for 4 people:

Ingredients

  • 320 g of pasta (penne, fusilli, or another short shape of your choice)
  • 100 g of sun-dried tomatoes in oil
  • 200 g of fresh ricotta
  • 8 anchovy fillets in oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 bunch of fresh parsley
  • 40 g of pine nuts
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Chili powder (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
  2. In the meantime, prepare the sun-dried tomato pesto: put the sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, anchovy fillets, 1 peeled garlic clove, and a bunch of parsley (reserving some for the final garnish) in a mixer or a food processor. Blend until you obtain a fairly homogeneous mixture, adding extra virgin olive oil to achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt (lightly, since the anchovies are already salty) and pepper to taste. If you like, you can add a pinch of chili powder to give it character.
  3. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, al dente.
  4. Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and briefly sauté the other garlic clove, removing it as soon as it turns golden.
  5. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water, and transfer it to the pan with the garlic-flavored oil.
  6. Add the sun-dried tomato pesto to the pasta and mix well. If necessary, thin out with a bit of the reserved cooking water to make it creamier.
  7. Incorporate the ricotta, crumbling it directly into the pan. Stir until it becomes creamy and combines well with the pasta.
  8. Serve the pasta immediately, garnishing with chopped fresh parsley and an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Curiosity

Despite the use of ricotta, this dish has a strong Mediterranean character, especially due to the presence of sun-dried tomatoes and anchovies. It is a versatile recipe that allows you to experiment with various pasta shapes and to easily adjust according to your personal taste.