Baked Rotini Pasta With Ricotta Pesto

Total Time: 58 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 38 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped unblanched almonds
• 1 clove chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 12 ounces rotini pasta (spirals)
• 3 cups ricotta cheese
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• black pepper

Recipe

• 1 puree the basil leaves, almonds, garlic and salt together in a food processor.
• 2 with motor running, gradually add the olive oil thru the feeder tube.
• 3 stir in 2 tablespoons of the parmesan cheese and set aside.
• 4 cook pasta in boiling salted water until still a little firm about 8 minutes, then drain.
• 5 in another bowl, combine pesto, ricotta, half the mozzarella and the black pepper.
• 6 add the pasta and toss to blend.
• 7 pour into a 1 1/2 quart shallow baking dish and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan and the rest of the mozzarella.
• 8 bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.