This is another success that I stumbled across during my quest for healthier dinner recipes. And it's very fast- we had dinner on the table in less than thirty minutes from start to finish.
1 garlic clove (I would probably add more next time)
3/4 cup shelled walnuts
1 tablespoon bread crumbs
1/3 cup ricotta
2 tablespoons warm water
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch broccoli raab, stems trimmed, or chopped broccoli
1 pound pasta
About 1/2 cup pasta cooking water (more as needed)
1. Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and drop in the garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, turn off and scrape down the bowl. Add the walnuts and bread crumbs, and process to a paste. Add the ricotta, 2 tablespoons warm water and Parmesan. Pulse until well blended. Add the olive oil, and process until smooth. Taste and add salt as desired. Transfer to a wide pasta bowl.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the broccoli raab or broccoli. Boil four to five minutes, until tender but still bright. Drain and chop broccoli raab medium-fine (regular broccoli need not be chopped). Set aside.
3. Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta al dente, following the timing instructions on the package but checking a minute or two before the indicated cooking time. Before draining the pasta, add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water to the ricotta mixture and stir until well blended. The sauce should have a creamy consistency (add more of the pasta water if necessary). Just before draining the pasta, add the broccoli raab or broccoli back into the pot with the pasta to heat, then drain. Toss at once with the sauce, and serve, passing Parmesan on the side.
(From NY Times Series: Recipes for Health: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/health/nutrition/29recipehealth.html?ref=health)
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