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Whipped Ricotta Pasta with Crispy Chili Oil

Whipped Ricotta Pasta with Crispy Chili Oil reads citrus 5.8, umami 5.2 and sourness 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 29 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.2 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.8 · Umami 5.2 · Sourness 5.1 · Fruity 4.9 · Salinity 4.7 · Richness 4.6 · Herbaceous 4.5 · Allium 4.2 · Heat 2.5 · Smoke 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.2 · Floral 2.0 · Nutty 2.0 · Bitterness 1.8 · Sweetness 1.6 · Earthy 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.6

What's in it (12)

• extra-virgin olive oil — 163 g
• garlic — 18 g
• shallot — 40 g
• red chili flakes — 44 g
• smoked paprika — 5 g
• rigatoni pasta — 454 g
• salt — 15 g
• fresh ricotta — 425 g
• parmesan cheese — 114 g
• lemon — 65 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• basil — 15 g

Time & effort: about 29 min (24 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 221.1 kcal, 9.9 g protein, 6.5 g fat, 31.3 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Combine 1/2 cup of the olive oil, garlic, and shallot in a small saucepan. Set over low heat and cook, stirring often, until the garlic and shallot are deep golden and crisp, 8-10 minutes, watching closely near the end since they can go from golden to burnt in under a minute.
2. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a heatproof bowl and pour the oil and crisped garlic-shallot mixture through it. Lift the solids onto a paper-towel-lined plate to finish crisping; you should have about 1/2 cup infused oil in the bowl.
3. Put the red pepper flakes and smoked paprika in a separate small heatproof bowl. Carefully pour the hot strained oil over the flakes (it will bubble and sizzle), stir, and let stand 5 minutes to bloom the color and heat, then stir the reserved crispy garlic and shallot back in. This is your crispy chili oil.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in the salt. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 10-12 minutes. Scoop out and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
5. While the pasta cooks, combine the ricotta, remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon zest, and black pepper in a food processor. Process until light, fluffy, and completely smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides once.
6. Return the drained pasta to its pot over low heat. Add the whipped ricotta and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water; toss vigorously until the sauce turns glossy and coats every piece, about 2 minutes, adding more pasta water a splash at a time if it looks tight.
7. Off the heat, fold in the Parmesan until melted in and the sauce clings to the pasta, about 1 minute; taste and add more salt if needed.
8. Divide the pasta among bowls.
9. Drizzle each bowl generously with the crispy chili oil, including the crispy garlic and shallot bits.
10. Scatter torn basil and a little extra Parmesan over the top before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Beef Kofta Kebabs with Garlic Yogurt Sauce — Middle Eastern
• Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Roasted Broccolini — Italian
• Crispy Chickpea and Halloumi Bowls — Greek
• Chicken Enchiladas Verde — Mexican
• Crispy Halloumi and Chickpea Skillet with Harissa — Middle Eastern

Keep reading: what citrus, umami, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.