Orecchiette, Caramelized Onions, Sugar Snap Peas & Ricotta

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cups packed chopped onions
• 1 (8 ounce) package trimmed sugar snap peas, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 (8 ounce) package orecchiette (little ear-shaped pasta) or 1 (8 ounce) package pasta shells
• 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

Recipe

• 1 heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. add onions. sauté until onions are pale golden, about 5 minutes. reduce heat to medium; sauté onions until tender and deep golden, about 15 minutes longer. transfer 3/4 cup sautéed onions to small bowl; reserve for frittata. add peas to onions in skillet. sauté until peas are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. remove skillet from heat.
• 2 cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
• 3 add pasta and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to onion mixture; stir over medium-high heat 30 seconds. mix in ricotta, basil, and lemon peel, adding more cooking liquid to moisten as needed. season with salt and pepper.