Chicken, Lemon and Ricotta Meatballs with Linguine

• chicken breasts↗2
• lemons↗2

  zest

• ricotta↗200g g
• parsley↗3 tbsp tbsp

  chopped

• breadcrumbs↗150g fresh g

  fresh

• milk↗100ml ml

  plus 2 tbsp

• egg↗1 medium

  beaten

• plain flour↗25g g

  for coating

• olive oil↗1 tbsp tbsp
• linguine↗300g g
• green beans↗320g g

  trimmed and halved

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Dice the chicken into very fine pieces with a sharp knife. You can use a food processor, but pulse it so it doesn’t turn into a paste. Place in a bowl and add half the lemon zest, half the ricotta, half the parsley, the breadcrumbs and mix. Add 2 tbsp milk, the egg and a pinch of seasoning. Mix again.

2. 2

   Lightly dust a plate with flour. Wet your hands, take a golf‑ball‑sized portion of the meat mixture and shape into a ball. Place on the flour‑dusted plate and repeat until the mixture is used up.

3. 3

   Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat, add the oil, then the meatballs, making sure they don’t touch each other. Cook 10‑15 min, turning so they brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the linguine. Cook according to the package instructions, adding the green beans three minutes before the pasta is done. Drain, reserving some pasta water. Rinse the linguine and beans with cold water to stop cooking.

5. 5

   Add the remaining ricotta to the skillet, spreading it as much as possible. Pour in 100 ml milk and 2 tbsp of the reserved pasta water, then cook until it thickens slightly, a few minutes. Add the pasta, beans and the remaining lemon zest and parsley. Season to taste, toss with the meatballs and serve.