This is quick, fresh pasta which makes the perfect midweek meat free meal. If you still have a few members of the household that need meat with every meal, serve it with a crispy piece of prosciutto crumbled on top.
Wonderful in spring, but equally you could make this any time of the year using frozen beans and peas.
Ingredients
1 cup of broad beans (double podded)
1 cup of peas (fresh or frozen)
25g butter
1 leek, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
½ cup ricotta
½ cup Parmesan, grated
zest and juice of half a lemon
250g dry Tagliatelle pasta
small handful mint, chopped
Method
Put the peas and broad beans into a bowl and pour over a kettle of boiling water. Leave for 1 minute, drain, then roughly mash.
Melt the butter in a large pan and sauté the leek and garlic until soft, approx. 6–8 minutes.
Stir in the chilli flakes (if using), the peas and beans, and cook for 2 minutes. Take off the heat.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water.
When the pasta is nearly cooked, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice into the bean mix.
Drain the cooked pasta, leaving 3–4 tbsp of the cooking water in the pot. Add the pasta back in the pot along with the bean and ricotta mix, toss well and serve with fresh mint and more Parmesan.
Recipe Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Images Ashlee Decaires
