Penne con Ricotta
What you will need:
1 box of penne pasta (1 lb.)
4 strips of bacon
1 box of frozen chopped spinach (10 oz.)
1 container of ricotta cheese (15 oz.)
1-2 cups of grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of pasta water
Cook pasta according to the instructions on the box. Cut 4 raw slices of bacon in half and fry until crispy–set aside till the end. Thaw spinach and also set aside. Once pasta is cooked to al dente (firm to the bite), drain it and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water because it makes stirring everything together easier. Put drained pasta back into the pot you boiled it in. Add the parmesan cheese and spinach, salting and peppering liberally. Stir in most or all of the ricotta, depending on personal preference. Also add the pasta water at this time. Salt and pepper liberally again. Crumble bacon into the pot and incorporate all ingredients well. Serves 4 people with some leftovers. Prep time is about 15-30 minutes, depending on how fast you are.
One thing I love about this recipe is its versatility. If you don’t like bacon, you could just as easily use sausage, ground beef or turkey, or pancetta (Italian bacon). You can make this a purely vegetarian meal by adding things to the spinach, such as zucchini or squash. Also, if you don’t like spinach, I recommend arugula in its place. You could even replace the parmesan with shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese, or just include those in the cheese mixture. This dish works well as a main course for a small gathering or family, but I suggest it as a side dish for a larger gathering or dinner party.
