It may not sound sexy — the word ricotta means recooked — but ricotta-making has been a respected industry staple since at least the second century where it’s even referred to in a Latin farm treatise by Cato The Elder (not to be confused with Cato the Younger, his grandson, who didn’t know a thing about cheese-making).
At the grocery, you’ll find ricotta in three versions: part-skim, low-fat and whole-milk versions. Although it’s found in the same round container at the grocery next to cottage cheese, the two are very different in texture and style.
Cottage cheese is made from the curds. Ricotta is made from whey, the part of milk that remains after the curds form as a byproduct of cheese-making.
For ricotta, the whey is processed into a firm textured consistency and is a naturally good source of calcium. It’s an ideal substitute for cream or whole milk in a cream sauce.
George Carlberg, executive chef at Littleton Adventist Hospital, uses the ricotta sauce to turn chicken and pasta into a one-dish meal. In this recipe he uses ricotta, because “it gives the palate the feel of heavy cream but reduces the fat.”
Because ricotta sauces can separate some, you can blend the sauce with a stick blender or pour the sauce into a regular blender to smooth it out, if you want to take the extra step.
Marty Meitus is a Denver freelance writer. See more of her recipes at westerndairyassociation.org/recipes.
Chicken and Penne Pasta With Low-Fat Cream Sauce
You can grill the chicken and asparagus in this recipe, which chef George Carlberg prefers, or you can make the whole dish, except the pasta, in one sauté pan. Tested by Marty Meitus for the Western Dairy Association, serves 4.
Ingredients
8 ounces dried penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil, if sautéing
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
½ pound fresh asparagus, trimmed or 1 cup peas (frozen are OK)
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup dry white wine
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
½ cup chicken stock
2 ounces gorgonzola crumbles (about cup) or 1½ cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Prepare the pasta; drain and set aside.In a large, high-sided sauté pan, brown the chicken in the oil, 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside. Slice the chicken on the diagonal into 3/8-inch pieces.
In the same pan, add 1-inch of water and boil the asparagus for 5 to 6 minutes, until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus and set aside; drain the water. Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
In the same pan, prepare the sauce: Combine the garlic and white wine and bring to a boil over low heat. Add the chicken stock and the ricotta and whisk until smooth. Add the gorgonzola or mozzarella and blend with a whisk until smooth. If sauce is too grainy, you can blend with a hand-held stick blender in the pan or carefully pour the mixture into a blender and whirl until smooth.
If using peas, add to the sauce after blending. Add the penne, the chicken and the asparagus and serve.
To grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Trim off the woody ends of the asparagus; toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
Place the chicken on the grill and cook four to five minutes per side. While the chicken is cooking, place the asparagus spears on the grill, perpendicular to the bars on the grill. Using tongs, roll the asparagus spears along the grill grates. Remove after about 3 minutes. After the grill foods have rested for about 10 minutes, slice the asparagus into 1-inch lengths and the chicken into julienne strips. Prepare the cream sauce as directed above.
