Ditaloni con Ricotta e Noci (Ditaloni with Ricotta and Nuts)
1 pound homemade ricotta cheese
Salt, to taste
1 pound ditaloni or tubetti
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup roasted and ground blanched almonds
1/4 cup ground blanched pistachios
Instructions:
Pass the ricotta through a fine mesh sieve and salt lightly. Check the taste. Bring a large pot of water to a roiling boil, salt abundantly, and add the pasta. Drain when al dente, saving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Stir the water into the ricotta until well blended. Toss the pasta and ricotta together with a grinding of pepper and serve the almonds and pistachios on the side, allowing each diner to sprinkle his own top alternatively, toss the nuts with the pasta, then serve.
