Ingredients
Produce
- ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
- ½ cup dill, chopped
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 bunch asparagus
- Juice of half a lemon
Pantry
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 200 g risoni pasta (7 ounces / approx 1 ¾ cups)
- 100 g frozen peas (3 ½ ounces / approx ½ cup)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Dairy
- ½ cup soft ricotta
Protein
- 150 g hot smoked salmon (approx 5.5 oz)
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the risoni pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually about 7-9 minutes. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the asparagus (cut into bite-sized pieces) and frozen peas to the pot to cook together with the pasta.
- Drain and save pasta water: Once the pasta and vegetables are cooked, drain them in a colander, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Combine ingredients: Return the pasta, asparagus, and peas to the pot or a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, chopped dill and parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Gently flake the hot smoked salmon into bite-sized pieces and fold it into the pasta mixture.
- Add ricotta and adjust consistency: Stir in the soft ricotta cheese. If the mixture is too thick, gradually add some reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Final adjustments and serving: Taste the pasta and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Hot smoked salmon is pre-cooked and smoky, so it only needs to be gently folded into the warm pasta to preserve its texture and flavor.
- Risoni pasta is a small rice-shaped pasta, but you can substitute with orzo or other small pasta shapes if unavailable.
- If fresh dill or parsley are unavailable, dried herbs can be used, but fresh herbs enhance the brightness of the dish.
- Make sure not to overcook the asparagus and peas to maintain their crisp texture and vibrant color.
- For a dairy-free version, omit the ricotta or substitute with a vegan ricotta alternative.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: European
- Diet: Low Fat
