Home

Spaghetti with Ricotta, Lemon, Speck, and Hazelnuts

17/11/2023

Spaghetti with ricotta, lemon, speck, and hazelnuts is a dish rich in flavors that balance harmoniously with each other. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 320 g of spaghetti
  • 200 g of fresh ricotta
  • 1 lemon (zest grated and juice)
  • 100 g of sliced speck
  • 60 g of toasted hazelnuts
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • A few fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

Preparation

  1. Put a large pot of salted water on the heat. When it boils, cook the spaghetti al dente following the instructions on the package.

  2. Meanwhile, in a large pan, fry the speck cut into strips in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil until it becomes crispy. Remove the speck from the pan and set it aside.

  3. In the same pan, use the fat released by the speck to lightly toast the roughly chopped hazelnuts. Then, remove the hazelnuts as well and set them aside.

  4. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the grated zest and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and dilute with a bit of the spaghetti cooking water to obtain a smooth and spreadable cream.

  5. Drain the spaghetti al dente, keeping some of the cooking water. Transfer them into the pan with the ricotta cream and add a ladle of cooking water to facilitate the mixing.

  6. Add the crispy speck and toasted hazelnuts to the spaghetti and gently mix to distribute the ingredients evenly.

  7. Serve the spaghetti hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves if desired and a sprinkle of fresh ground black pepper.

Curiosity

This dish combines the creaminess of ricotta with the acidity of lemon, the deep flavor of speck and the crunchiness of hazelnuts, creating a pasta dish that is both refreshing and rich. The use of lemon is typical of Mediterranean cuisine and adds a touch of lightness to any dish.

Spaghetti with Ricotta, Lemon, Speck, and Hazelnuts