I am not opposed to a long simmering meal. In fact, I long for it often, with the wafting smells of garlic and onions perfuming the air, while a faint crackle of bubbling chicken skin can be heard in the whispers of the kitchen. I do not prescribe to the notion that all meals need to been done quickly, eaten while standing up, and made only in one pot as to hastily clean up the kitchen so we can move onto the next activity.

But.

I do recognize, that there is in fact a time for all of these things. And a necessary obligation to keep these requirements in our back pockets that can be pulled out at a moments notice. Like Monday-Friday, Lunchtime meals, or just whenever hell has loosely broken out.

This my friends, is just the sort of thing that you can have in your arsenal of good wholesome recipes to be relied upon with only 15 minutes notice. As long as you have pasta in the pantry, lemon juice in the freezer all the other ingredients can be improvised. Any type of green will work fine, or even, none at all. Also, ricotta may not be a staple at your home, but other soft cheeses can be used in a pinch (ie. cottage cheese, cream cheese, etc.).

It’s really just the sort of recipe meant to grant you peace and respite. Nothing to garner any sort of worry. Just pull it together, greedily pile it into a bowl, find your comfiest spot on the couch, and eat it without a worry in the world.

You deserve this meal.

Feed yourself.

Want to see the live action version? Check out my Youtube video here. . .

Lemon-Spinach Ricotta Pasta

In as long as it takes you to boil your pasta, you can be having a full-on meal, plated and ready to go!

Ingredients:

16 oz. Dried Pasta
32 oz. Whole Milk Ricotta
8 0z bag Fresh Spinach
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 TB Olive Oil
6 TB Lemon Juice
2 tsp Garlic
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Cook Pasta according to package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, mix together in a medium sized bowl, ricotta, parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.
3. In the last one minute of pasta cooking time, add the spinach mixing it around with the pasta and cooking pasta.
4. Pour out pasta water, reserving 1 cup, in case you would like to thin the sauce mixture at the end of preparation.
5. Add the ricotta mixture to your noodle spinach blend. Mix well and plate. Garnish with a little extra parmesan, because well. . .a little extra cheese never hurt anybody:) Enjoy!

Looking for more 15 minute Pasta Ideas? Check out my post on Margherita Pasta.