One-Pot Summer Squash Pasta with Lemony Ricotta

With tender summer squash strips, al dente cooked pasta and a creamy, lemony ricotta sauce, it’s easy to understand how every bite of this dish tastes like summer. Since I developed this meal with a hot summer day in mind, the recipe uses one big ole pot to cook everything in: the pasta, the zucchini and yellow squash and the sauce itself. This way, you’ll spend as little time as possible cleaning dirty dishes.

If the thought of slicing summer squash into thin strips is not something you look forward to, some stores sell pre-sliced zucchini and/or yellow squash “noodles” that’ll cut your prep time in half.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Total: 25 minutes

Makes 4 to 6 servings

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• 4 medium/1 1/2 pounds/680 grams summer squash such as zucchini, yellow squash or a mix of both

• 1 1/2 cups/12 ounces/345 grams ricotta

• 1 pound/450 grams long pasta, such as linguine or spaghetti

• 5 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

• Salt

• 4 cups of water, plus more as needed

• 1/2 cup/50 grams finely grated Parmesan

• A handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

• 1 medium lemon

1. Prep the squash: Trim the stem and bottom of each squash. Using a sharp knife, cut each squash into 1-cm thick slices. Cut each slice into long 0.5 to 1-cm thick strips.

2. Add the ricotta to a small food processor or blender and whip until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. This will ensure the sauce has a silky consistency. The recipe will work if you decide to skip this step.

3. In a large pot (at least 4-quarts), add the squash, pasta, garlic, a big pinch of salt, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom, for 5 to 6 minutes. The squash should be tender, while the pasta should be partially cooked and firm.

4. Add the parmesan, ricotta, parsley, the zest (2 teaspoons) and juice of a lemon (2 tablespoons). Using a pair of tongs or a large wooden spoon, vigorously stir until the pasta is coated in cheese. If needed, add an additional 1/2 cup of water at a time to help with the stirring and bringing the sauce together.

5. Continue cooking until the pasta is al dente and coated in a silky, creamy sauce, about 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt, as needed. Serve right away.

4-INGREDIENT SEED CRACKERS

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