Creamy carrot penne with ricotta | 20-minute Italian pasta

Peel the carrots, then coarsely grate them or slice them very thinly for quick and even cooking. Crush or finely chop the garlic cloves. Toast the walnut kernels in a dry pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then roughly chop them.

Bring a generous amount of salted water to a rolling boil in a large pot, then cook the penne pasta until al dente according to the package instructions (approx. 9-10 minutes). Before draining, ladle out 150 ml of the starchy cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter with the extra virgin olive oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Add the grated carrots, garlic, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until the carrots are completely tender and slightly caramelized.