Spring Pasta
Spring Pasta is a delightful and nutritious dish that combines fresh vegetables with creamy sauce and perfectly cooked pasta, making it ideal for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Pasta and Vegetables
- 300 g 300g linguine (or fettuccine, or other long and flat pasta)
- 150 g 150g white mushrooms, sliced 0.4cm thick (~8 pieces)
- 100 g 1/2 large zucchini, cut into 0.5cm rounds
- 1 bunch 1 bunch broccolini
- 1.5 cup 1 1/2 cup snow peas (~10 pieces, 75g)
- 1 bunch 1 bunch green asparagus (~8 to 10)
- 1 cup 1 cup green peas, defrosted
- 10 10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 cloves 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Sauce and Toppings
- 5 tbsp 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup 1 cup thickened / heavy cream
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated (sub regular parmesan)
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup 1/3 cup pasta cooking water, scoop out just before draining
- 1 tsp 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
Instructions
Preparation
- Start by washing and cutting all the vegetables. Slice the mushrooms, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Set them aside.
Making the Cream Sauce
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, salt, and black pepper.
Cooking the Pasta
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente.
- Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
Combining Ingredients
- In the skillet with the cream sauce, add the broccolini, asparagus, snow peas, zucchini, and mushrooms.
- Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the veggies are tender but still vibrant.
- Stir in the green peas and cooked pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
Notes
Serve Spring Pasta warm, garnished with fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts on top for added crunch. This dish pairs wonderfully with a side salad or some garlic bread. Make sure to not overcook the vegetables; they should remain crisp and colorful. You can use any short pasta instead of linguine if you prefer. For a vegan version, replace the butter and cream with plant-based alternatives and skip the cheese.