Whole Wheat Pasta with Peas and Cheese

I often use whole wheat pasta for health reasons, but I have found that only certain sauces work well because the whole wheat noodles don't seems as absorbent as regular noodles. This week, I threw together a recipe with what I had around and it turned out to be really good. The cheesy ricotta went really nicely with the whole wheat pasta and it almost made a cream sauce without having to add so much fat. The kids loved the little fresh mozzarella and thought they looked like marshmallows. It might have been disappointing when they figured out it was cheese, but they still finished their plates.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Peas and Cheese

Timing - 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 lb whole wheat penne (or other short pasta)
1 shallot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup frozen peas
about 12 leaves of basil, chopped (or about 1/3 cup)
2 T ricotta
1 small container fresh mozzarella (I used small balls, but you could also chop the large ones)

How to Make
Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, saute the shallots for about 2 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the tomatoes and cook for about another minute. Add the frozen peas and cook until they are no longer frozen, about three minutes. Stir in the basil.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the skillet along with the pasta water. Stir to coat and remove from the heat. Stir in the ricotta and mozzarella.

Serves 6