Pici with Cherry Tomatoes and Ricotta with Lemon Aroma

To make pici with cherry tomatoes and lemon-scented ricotta, first prepare the fresh pasta: place the flour into a mound on a work surface and gradually pour the oil 1 and lukewarm water 2 into the center while mixing with your hands 3.

Work the mixture until you obtain a rather firm, smooth, and homogeneous dough 4. Form a ball 5, cover it with an overturned bowl and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. In the meantime, wash and cut the cherry tomatoes in half 6.

Proceed with the preparation of the sauce: heat the oil in a pan with the anchovy fillets 7, then add the grated garlic 8 and the tomato paste 9. Sauté for a couple of minutes.

At this point, add the cherry tomatoes 10 and sauté over high heat for about 5 minutes, then lightly salt and add the bunch of basil 11. Cover with the lid 12 and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. When the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and remove the basil.

To make the whipped ricotta, put the ricotta in a container, season with salt, pepper, and the grated zest of the lemon 13. Gradually add the oil 14 while blending with an immersion blender, moving from bottom to top 15.

After the resting time of the dough, roll it out with a rolling pin to a thickness of 3/8 inch 16, then cut strips 1/4 inch wide 17. Work each strip with your fingertips to stretch it and form a cord 18.

Once the pici are ready 19, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook them for about 3 minutes 20. Drain the pici into a bowl and add the cherry tomato sauce 21, alternating the pasta with the sauce. Mix well to combine everything.

Finish each plate with a spoonful of whipped ricotta 22, some grated lemon zest 23, a grind of pepper, and a few basil leaves. Your pici with cherry tomatoes and lemon-scented ricotta are ready to be served 24!