Pasta with Ricotta, Green Beans, and Fresh Tomatoes

Here is a simple and tasty recipe to prepare Pasta with Ricotta, Green Beans, and Fresh Tomatoes with an all-Italian twist. It’s a light dish but full of flavors, great for a summer lunch.

Ingredients

• 350 g of short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle work well)
• 200 g of fresh green beans
• 250 g of fresh ricotta
• 2 large ripe tomatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation

1. Begin by cleaning the green beans; after washing them, remove the ends and cut them into pieces.
2. Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. When the water boils, cook the green beans for about 10 minutes or until they are tender but still crisp.
3. In the green bean water, also cook the pasta following the package instructions for cooking time, to achieve al dente pasta.
4. Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes and cut them into cubes, removing the seeds. In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes with the ricotta, add a pinch of salt, pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
5. When the pasta and green beans are cooked, drain them together, reserving some of the cooking water.
6. Add the pasta and green beans to the bowl with the ricotta and tomatoes, mix well to combine the ingredients. If necessary, add some of the cooking water to make it creamier.
7. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves and, if you like, a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

A bit of trivia: The freshness of the tomatoes and the sweetness of the ricotta blend perfectly in this dish, where the simplicity of typically Italian ingredients enhances each other. In addition, adding the pasta to the green beans’ cooking water will save you time and energy and give the pasta a delicate vegetable flavor.

Bon appétit!