Championing the contrast of soft, subtle ricotta with acidic-sweet ripe tomatoes
Diana Henry
The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer
Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
Published
I had this in Naples last year and it went straight into my core repertoire of pasta dishes. I think it’s the contrast – soft, subtle ricotta with acidic-sweet tomatoes – that’s so good. If you can’t get paccheri, use another tubular pasta shape. Try to find fresh ricotta in an Italian deli.
Overview
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
50 mins
Serves
4
Ingredients
For the tomato sauce
- 2½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ onion, very finely chopped
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes
- 1kg well-flavoured plum tomatoes, chopped, or 1½ x 400g tins finely chopped tomatoes (I use Mutti Polpa)
- leaves from a 25-30g bunch of basil, plus a few to serve
For the pasta
- 400g paccheri pasta
- 250g ricotta, fresh if possible
- 60g grated pecorino or Parmesan, or a mixture of the 2, plus more to serve
Method
Step
Heat 2½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a saucepan or sauté pan. Add ½ very finely chopped onion and cook gently until soft but not coloured – 12-15 minutes.
Step
Add ¼ tsp chilli flakes and 1kg chopped plum tomatoes or 1½ x 400g tins chopped tomatoes. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, then turn the heat down to low-medium (the sauce should blip a little, not boil) for 15 minutes.
Step
Tear in the leaves from a 25-30g bunch of basil (leaving a few to serve) and cook for another 20 minutes. You should end up with a thick sauce, but not a dry one.
Step
Meanwhile, put 400g paccheri pasta on to cook, for a few minutes less than it suggests on the packet.
Step
Mash 250g ricotta with 60g grated pecorino or Parmesan and some salt and pepper in a large bowl that will hold the pasta.
Step
Drain the pasta, reserving half a cup of cooking water. Put the pasta into the bowl with the ricotta and mix it through, using a little of the cooking water to loosen the ricotta.
Step
Quickly heat up the tomato sauce if necessary and add half of it to the bowl.
Step
Divide between 4 warm pasta bowls and put some of the rest of the tomato sauce on each one.
Step
Finish with some basil leaves. Offer more grated cheese and the tomato sauce at the table.