Pasta Ricotta e Spinaci

Pasta with ricotta and spinach — the same cold-fold technique as pasta ricotta e limone, with wilted spinach replacing lemon. The spinach is cooked separately and folded into the ricotta base with pasta water; the sauce never reaches the stove. Ready in 15 minutes. Vegetarian.

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 320g dry pasta (rigatoni, fusilli, or spaghetti)
• 200g fresh ricotta (ricotta vaccina)
• 250g fresh baby spinach
• 40g Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, finely grated
• 2g black pepper (pepe nero), freshly cracked
• Salt

Instructions

1. Wilt the spinach Heat a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the spinach with a small splash of water and a pinch of salt. Toss for 1–2 minutes until just wilted and still bright green. Transfer to a colander and press firmly to remove excess water — squeezed spinach should yield approximately 60–70g. Chop roughly and set aside.

2. Make the ricotta base In a large serving bowl, combine the ricotta and half the Parmigiano. Season with salt and cracked black pepper. Stir to a smooth, loose paste.

3. Cook the pasta Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to 1 minute less than package time.

4. Combine off heat Before draining, ladle 150ml of pasta cooking water into the ricotta bowl and stir — the hot water loosens the sauce. Drain the pasta and transfer immediately to the bowl. Add the chopped spinach. Toss vigorously for 60–90 seconds, adding pasta water in small amounts to reach a creamy, coating consistency.

5. Finish and serve Scatter the remaining Parmigiano. Add a final grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes

Squeezing the spinach is not optional. Spinach retains a large amount of water after wilting; if it is not pressed, the retained water dilutes the ricotta sauce and produces a watery result. Press firmly in a colander or wring in a clean cloth.

The ricotta must not be heated directly — it breaks when boiled. Hot pasta water is the only heat source needed.

This is the same dish as pasta ricotta e limone with spinach substituting lemon. Both use the cold-fold technique; the flavour profiles are entirely different — spinach produces a neutral, earthy sauce where lemon produces a bright, acidic one.

Cost Context

At Italian supermarket prices (Q1 2025): pasta-secca (€1.65/kg), ricotta (€6.50/kg), spinaci (€2.50/kg), parmigiano-reggiano (€17.50/kg), pepe-nero (€20.00/kg). Total for 4 servings: approximately €3.20 — roughly €0.80 per serving.

Ricotta (€1.30 for 200g) accounts for approximately 41% of ingredient cost. Spinach (€0.63 for 250g) adds €0.16/serving — modest for a vegetable that adds both volume and nutritional density. Compare to pasta ricotta e limone at €0.88/serving and pasta ricotta e zucchine at €0.77/serving (courgettes instead of spinach, slightly lighter). Use the Recipe Cost Calculator for the full itemised breakdown.