It's the cheese: pair low-fat ricotta with pasta - Low-Fat

Sunset, Nov, 2003 by Charity Ferreira

Pasta and cheese are old friends, but the kind of cheese you use makes a big nutritional difference. When tossed with hot pasta along with a little cooking water, low-fat ricotta quickly creates a healthy but rich-tasting sauce. Its mild, fresh-milk flavor is a good foil for stronger accents like peppery broccoli rabe and olives, or chard with lemon and pistachios.

Orzo with Ricotta and Broccoli Rabe

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 25 minutes

MAKES: 4 to 6 servings

  1 pound dried orzo pasta

  2 teaspoons olive oil

  2 tablespoons minced garlic

  1 teaspoon hot chili flakes

  1 pound broccoli rabe or broccoli, rinsed, ends trimmed, and coarsely
    chopped

  1 container (15 oz.) low-fat ricotta cheese

1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives Salt and pepper

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 3 quarts water to a boil. Add orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender to bite, 7 to 12 minu3tes. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta-cooking water. Return orzo to pan.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic; stir until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chili flakes and broccoli rabe; stir 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 cup of reserved water; simmer until greens are tender to bite, 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Add broccoli rabe mixture to orzo with ricotta, olives, and remaining 1/2 cup reserved water; mix, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 410 cal., 17% (69 cal.) from fat; 19 g protein; 7.7 g fat (2.3 g sat.); 65 g carbo (2.1 g fiber); 172 mg sodium; 17 mg chol.

Whole-wheat spaghetti with chard and ricotta. Follow step 1 to cook 1 pound dried whole-wheat spaghetti. Follow step 2 to cook 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic in 2 teaspoons olive oil, omitting the chili flakes and substituting 1 pound green chard (rinsed, ends trimmed, and coarsely chopped) for the broccoli rabe; cook until chard stems are tender to bite, 6 to 8 minutes. Mix chard mixture into hot spaghetti with 1 container (15 oz.) low-fat ricotta, 1/3 cup chopped roasted, salted pistachios, 1/4 cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon peel, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 1/2 cup reserved pasta-cooking water, and salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Per serving: 430 cal., 23% (99 cal.) from fat; 22 g protein; 11 g fat (3.2 g sat.); 66 g carbo (11 g fiber); 260 mg sodium; 20 mg chol.

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