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Rigatoni with Pistachio, Ricotta and Herb Pesto
Sicily is famous for its pistachios, as well as for ricotta cheese. In this recipe, we blend the two, along with fresh basil and chives, to create a simple pesto to toss with al dente pasta. There’s no need to grate the Parmesan—simply cut it into chunks and toss the pieces into the blender. The pesto is good on a wide variety of pasta shapes, but the hollow centers and surface ridges of rigatoni do a particularly good job of gripping the rich, creamy sauce.
4 to 6
Servings
Tip
Don’t use toasted or roasted pistachios. We’re usually fans of toasted nuts, but this is a case where raw pistachios are best. Their bright color and natural sweetness are key for a vibrant, full-flavored pesto. Also, don’t forget to reserve some of the pasta water before draining the rigatoni. You’ll need some of the starchy seasoned liquid to thin out the pesto.
25 minutes
Ingredients
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1
pound rigatoni or other short tubular pasta
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Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Directions
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01In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to boil. Stir in the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Reviews
September 24, 2024
Quick and awesome
I did not have chives and subbed a chopped clove of garlic, and I added some chopped fresh tomato on top as garnish. The tomatoes gave the dish a nice fresh pop. I will be making this again!
June 19, 2022
Easy, creamy, minimal dishes
This is a fun adaption on pesto. I was low on ricotta on so mixed in full fat cottage cheese, which helped maintain the pesto's creamy texture. I would double this recipe if you're serving more than 3 adults.
June 22, 2026
Memories of Sicily
This was a nice variation on other sauces. I cut it in half, and it still made a lot. I could not find raw shelled pistachios, so I used roasted, and the flavor was fine. Thanks for helping me recall memories of my time in Sicily!
June 18, 2026
Why raw and not toasted pistachios?
It wouldn't take but a minute or two to roast in a small pan and should intensify the flavor of the nuts. Just a suggestion.
June 15, 2022
Speedy, easy & delicious
Really enjoyed this recipe especially on a summer night. The herby creamy pesto was a total hit and the color was beautiful when plated. Next time, I would add some red pepper flakes for a bit of heat (or maybe some jalapeno to the pesto to keep the color consistent?) and would probably bring pasta and sauce back together in a pot on the stove versus in a bowl.
As always, I closely follow the recipe when I make a dish for the first time, Expecting a bountiful crop of basil this year, I was searching for basil-friendly recipes when I saw this in a recent Milk Street email. I agree, it was restaurant quality dish that was easy and enjoyable to prepare. I wouldn't add salt during prep, but a bit of salt at the end was helpful. Next time I'll add just a splash of lemon as I think it will add taste without messing with a perfect recipe.
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This recipe tasted fantastic, very fresh, and had a lovely bright presentation. Pesto was a little bit light, so had to add a bit extra ricotta and pistachios to thicken it up. In future would probably start with 1/2 cup pasta water in pesto to start. Wife said it was like something you’d get in a fancy restaurant.