Cottage Cheese Pasta With Tomatoes, Scallions and Currants
Satisfying the same creamy urge as mac and cheese, noodles with cottage cheese is a comforting Eastern European staple that’s sometimes topped with golden fried onions and a dusting of black pepper and cinnamon. This version trades caramelized onions for slivers of sharp raw scallion to contrast with the richness of the cottage cheese, which melts into a sauce upon contact with the hot pasta. The currants lean into the cinnamon's sweetness, while halved cherry tomatoes and mint make the dish juicy and fresh. It’s an unusual take on the original dish that’s easy to riff on — feel free to add or leave out ingredients to make it your own.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- ¼cup dried currants (or chopped raisins)
- ¼teaspoon salt, plus more for boiling the pasta
- 1pound short pasta, such as farfalle, cavatelli or fusilli
- 4scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
- 1cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1cup whole milk cottage cheese (or ricotta)
- 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- ½cup torn mint leaves, plus more for serving
- ½cup coarsely chopped parsley, plus more for serving
- Ground cinnamon, for serving (optional)
- Flaky sea salt, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put currants in a small bowl and ladle a little of the boiling water over them to cover. Let soak for 10 minutes, then drain.Step 2
Meanwhile, salt the remaining water in the pot. When it returns to a boil, add pasta. Cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually 1 minute less than the package directs. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.Step 3
In a large serving bowl, combine scallions, tomatoes, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt.Step 4
When the currants are soaked, add them to the bowl with the tomatoes and toss to combine. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil.Step 5
Add pasta to the serving bowl, along with cottage cheese, pepper and a few splashes of reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup), and toss until evenly coated. If pasta looks dry, add a little more pasta cooking water, a tablespoon at a time. Stir in herbs. Taste, and add more salt and lemon, if needed.Step 6
To serve, top with a dusting of ground cinnamon (if you like), flaky salt, a lot of black pepper, and more olive oil and herbs. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.