Thanks to a whole lot of ricotta, this baked pasta is so creamy and milky that it’s nearly as fluffy as pudding. The dish has a sweet tang from roasted lemon and tomatoes, plus a crisp breadcrumb topping to contrast all that plushness. Because the sauce is mostly cheese, it’s worth seeking out ricotta that doesn’t have gum or stabilizers; you’ll get the best results from ricotta that is made of just milk, salt and perhaps a vinegar or natural
culture.

RICOTTA PASTA BAKE

Ingredients:
• Salt and pepper
• 1 small to medium lemon
• 2 pints cherry or other small tomatoes
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 sprigs of sage, oregano, thyme or basil (optional)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound shells, orecchiette or tubular pasta
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan
• 1 pound whole-milk ricotta

Directions:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Zest the lemon into a medium bowl, then cut it into quarters.

In a 9-by-13-inch/3-quart baking dish, toss together the lemon quarters, tomatoes, onion, 3 herb sprigs (if using) and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast until onion is tender and tomatoes burst, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water until 1 minute short of al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain the pasta. To the bowl of lemon zest, add the panko, half the Parmesan, plus the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper then set aside. Finely chop up to 1 tablespoon of herb leaves (if using).

Use tongs to squeeze the roasted lemons into the tomatoes. Discard the spent lemons and herb sprigs. Stir the ricotta, 1 cup pasta water, remaining Parmesan and chopped herbs (if using) into the tomatoes until combined. Stir in the pasta, then season to taste with salt and pepper. If your dish doesn’t have sauce pooling, add the rest of the reserved pasta water. Sprinkle with the panko mixture and bake until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.

Total time: 50 minutes, serves 4-6.