Spaghetti Nests with Ricotta and Peas

Tender Nests, Quietly Abundant

There is something almost instinctive about shaping pasta into a nest — the same gentle logic that draws hands toward soft, rounded things. Baked until just set, these small spirals hold their fillings the way a good meal holds your attention: patiently, without demanding too much. The result is something between a snack and a celebration, modest enough for a quiet afternoon, composed enough to pass around at a table full of people you love. A dish that rewards the unhurried.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pounds Alessi Organic Spaghetti Alla Chitarra
• 1 tablespoon Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cups ricotta
• 1/3 cups cooked peas
• Alessi Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and toss with olive oil.
2. Preheat oven to 350 and grease muffin tins.
3. In a large bowl beat egg, ½ cup of Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon butter until smooth.
4. Add pasta and toss until evenly coated.
5. Spoon pasta into muffin tins and mold to form nests.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until nests set.
7. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the ricotta, peas, reserved pasta water, ½ cup Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon butter.
8. Stir until heated through and season with salt and pepper.
9. Spoon into the spaghetti nests and serve immediately.