At Giadzy, we love giving pasta the sheet pan treatment—it’s the easiest way to maximize crispy, cheesy bites in every forkful.
This dish is what happens when Giada’s beloved Lemon Spaghetti meets her viral Sheet Pan Lasagna: a bright, flavor-packed baked pasta with just the right balance of richness and zest. A quick sauce of super-sweet yellow datterini tomatoes and a hint of lemon creates the perfect base, while dollops of lemony basil ricotta add creamy contrast. A layer of fontina and parmesan on top turns irresistibly crispy and golden in the oven. The result? A dish that’s both decadent and refreshing, with every bite delivering the perfect mix of tangy, sweet, and cheesy goodness.
Category
Pasta
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
36 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, from 2 lemons
- 1/3 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
-
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
-
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling
-
2 (14.1 ounce) cans yellow datterini tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
-
1 pound taccole pasta
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (roughly 2 cups)
For the topping:
For the pasta:
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together the ricotta, lemon zest, chopped basil, and parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Oil a straight sided 12x17inch pan with 1 tablespoon oil and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt. Using an immersion blender, puree until combined, creamy, and almost entirely smooth. Add the chopped basil leaves, remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and lemon juice and pulse to combine. This can also be done in a blender.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Season it generously with salt. Cook the pasta for 5 minutes. Using a pasta spider, remove the pasta directly from the water to the bowl with the sauce. Add 1/2 cup pasta water and sprinkle the bare pasta with 1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese. Toss well to combine adding up to 1/4 cup more pasta water if needed to maintain a loose sauce. Spread the pasta on the prepared sheet tray and dollop with the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle the whole tray with the fontina cheese. Drizzle the entire pan with a bit more olive oil.
- Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
Let’s Cook
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Parmigiano Reggiano DOP Cheese Aged
- Discount Price Member
- $18.00
- Regular Price / Regular
- $19.50
- Unit Price
- /per
Gold-Wrapped Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Discount Price Member
- $30.00
- Regular Price / Regular
- $33.00
- Unit Price
- /per
Parmigiano Reggiano DOP Cheese Aged
- Discount Price Member
- $18.00
- Regular Price / Regular
- $19.50
- Unit Price
- /per
Gold-Wrapped Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Discount Price Member
- $30.00
- Regular Price / Regular
- $33.00
- Unit Price
- /per
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