Busiate with Brussels Sprouts, Mint and Two Cheeses

My vegetarian "Little" (we were matched through Big Brothers, Big Sisters) chose this recipe. I have to admit, I did not have high expectations (not only are Brussels Sprouts not my favorite vegetable, I couldn't imagine how they would taste with mint). We both thought it was delicious! Having read the previous comment, I use my own judgment about how much pasta water to use. About ¾ c. seemed right to me.

Everything was great until I added the two cups of pasta water. I don't know if it was a typo, but it diluted the flavor of the brussel sprout mixture dramatically. I had to add uncomfortable amounts of salt to the dish to compensate. I also don't understand why ricotta is even used here if the quantity is so small that the 2 cups of water will overwhelm both the flavor and texture. It seems like cream would accomplish something similar. The pecorino definitely saves this dish, but I don't think I need to make this again.