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Easy Pasta Dish: A little restaurant trick that works every time!

DINNER Pasta with Whipped Ricotta + Pork Meat Sauce

Serves 4 Ingredients

1 (16 oz) container ricotta

1/4 cup warm pasta water

1 tbsp lemon herb blend (or your favorite herb blend)

1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 lb mild pork sausage

1/2 tsp chili flakes

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 jar tomato sauce (Carbone, RAO’s, or several from Trader Joe’s are great)

1 bag, high-quality pasta 1/3 – 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions: In a saucepan, brown the 1 lb mild pork sausage with 1/2 tsp chili flakes and 1/2 tsp kosher salt until cooked through. Drain the rendered fat, then stir in the tomato sauce and let it slowly simmer. This step can be started while waiting for your pasta water to come to a boil. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. While it cooks, scoop out 1/4 cup boiling pasta water and whisk it into the ricotta along with 1 tbsp lemon herb blend and 1 tbsp olive oil until smooth and spreadable. Tip: to keep the ricotta warm without turning grainy, set the bowl over the boiling pasta water as a makeshift double boiler and stir gently while the pasta finishes. In a serving dish, spread 1/3 – 1/2 cup whipped ricotta to the edges of 4 single serve pasta bowls. Fold half the meat sauce into the pasta so it’s coated, then layer the pasta over the ricotta. Spoon extra sauce on top and finish with grated Parmesan cheese, a few fresh basil leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil around the edges.

DRINK Saint Nick Ingredients

2 oz rye whiskey

1 oz Luxardo Maraschino liqueur

1 oz B&B (Benedictine & Brandy)

1 dash bitters (aromatic, chocolate, or orange — your choice)

1 Luxardo cherry, for garnish (tip: check out Trader Joe’s for a really close dupe and much less expensive take on these) Instructions

Instructions: In a mixing glass filled with ice, stir the rye whiskey, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, B&B, and bitters until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass or into a lowball with a large ice cube. Finish with a Luxardo cherry for garnish.

COCKTAIL SHAKER: https://amzn.to/4oVgadA

PASTA BOWLS: https://amzn.to/3JDKnOs

WINE GLASSES: https://amzn.to/4oWz2sL

YUMMY COCKTAIL CHERRIES: https://amzn.to/4fWW3b7