Pasta with ricotta, lemon and peas

Method

1. Take the ricotta out of the fridge. Bring the 2 litres water to a rolling boil in the stockpot over a high heat with the lid on (8–10 minutes). Remove the lid, add 20 g salt followed by the orecchiette, stir for 30 seconds to prevent sticking, and maintain a brisk boil over a medium-high heat. Set the timer for the packet cooking time minus 4 minutes.
2. While the pasta cooks, wash and dry the lemon. Finely grate all its zest, without the white pith (about 3 g, 1 tsp), directly into a bowl, then squeeze it and add 1 tbsp juice (15 g); reserve the remaining juice. Finely grate 30 g Parmesan into the bowl and keep the rest of the piece for the table. Add the ricotta, 15 g olive oil (1½ tbsp), 1 g salt (a pinch) and 8–10 turns of the pepper mill. Mash with a fork: the cream should be thick, distinctly salty and fragrant with lemon, as the pasta will dilute it.
3. When the timer rings, add the peas straight from frozen, immediately turn the heat up high, half cover to help the water return to the boil, and start counting 4 minutes from this point. As soon as it boils again, remove the lid and lower the heat to medium-high so the foam does not boil over. Meanwhile, finely slice the mint, keeping 6 small leaves whole. Place the 2 shallow bowls in the bottom of the sink with the colander over them. After 3 minutes, taste a piece of pasta: if it is al dente (tender, with a slight bite in the centre), drain immediately; if it is still firm, leave it for the full 4 minutes. Before draining, dip a cup into the pot to reserve about 150 ml pasta water, then pour everything into the colander without rinsing: the hot water warms the bowls.
4. Return the empty, still-hot pot to the switched-off hob. Add the ricotta cream and about two-thirds of the reserved water (100 ml), then whisk with a fork for 20 seconds, until smooth and loose. Add the pasta, peas and sliced mint, and mix with a large spoon for 30 seconds, lifting the pasta from the bottom. If the sauce thickens, add the remaining water by the spoonful. It is ready when the cream is smooth and glossy and coats the pasta. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt or a squeeze of the remaining lemon juice.
5. Empty and dry the warm bowls, then serve immediately, half each. Finish each bowl with a drizzle of olive oil (5 g, ½ tbsp), the remaining Parmesan grated over, a turn of the pepper mill and the reserved mint leaves.

Variants and their steps remain below the recipe.