Springtime Pasta Recipes

SPRING PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS, CHILES AND SPRING PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a small pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Prepare an ice bath. Blanch the peas in the boiling water until bright green, about 20 seconds. Transfer immediately to the ice bath. Once cool, drain completely.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt until it tastes of lightly salted broth. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot and pepperoncini and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the maitake and oyster mushrooms and cook until softened, another 3 to 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine.
• When the pasta is cooked to al dente, add the pasta to the pan with the mushrooms directly from the pot, reserving the pasta water. Allow the pasta to finish cooking in the mushroom sauce, about 1 minute. Add the peas, butter and Fresno chile and stir to coat. Turn off the heat and add the Pecorino Romano in handfuls, stirring in between additions to prevent lumps. Add pasta water to thin the sauce as desired. Finish with the basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

SPRINGTIME PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• 1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until just tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• 2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat and quickly sautéthe vegetables until just tender. Do not overcook. Season well with salt and pepper. Add the half-and-half and cook to thicken the sauce, 5 minutes. Season well with pepper. Toss in the drained pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan. Garnish with diced tomatoes and chives or pea shoots, if available. Serve immediately.

SPRINGTIME SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

Steps:

• Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon, cooking for about 5 minutes, until crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel and set aside. Return the pan with the rendered fat to the stove top for future use.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the peas into the water and cook them for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a strainer with a slotted spoon or a spider basket. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, or until al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, heat the bacon fat in the sauté pan over medium heat. Add the peas and asparagus, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, and set aside.
• Whisk together the eggs and milk. Have the egg mixture, vegetables and bacon ready to toss with very hot pasta.
• Quickly drain the pasta and transfer immediately to a large serving bowl. Pour the eggs and cheese on top of the pasta, and toss vigorously to coat the strands and gently cook the eggs, forming a creamy sauce. Add the vegetables and bacon, and continue tossing to incorporate them. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Portion the spaghetti on plates and ladle any sauce left in the bowl over each serving. Grate additional cheese on top if you like.

QUICK SPRINGTIME PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Tip in the garlic and cook for 1 min until lightly coloured. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, then stir in the basil. Bring up to the boil, then turn down the heat and leave to gently simmer for 10 mins. Meanwhile, boil the spaghetti according to pack instructions.
• Drain the spaghetti, reserving a little of the cooking water separately, then return to the pan. Add the artichokes to the tomato sauce until heated through, then pour it over the spaghetti. Stir in a little parmesan, most of the chopped parsley and a splash of the cooking water if the sauce looks dry. Serve immediately with the remaining parmesan and parsley sprinkled over.

SPRINGTIME PENNE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute asparagus and onion in butter for 5-8 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender., Add the ham, cream, pepper and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook over low heat for 1 minute. Drain pasta. Add to the asparagus mixture; toss to coat. If desired, top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

SPRING PASTA

Steps:

• Prick eggplant several times with the tip of a knife. Place it in a parchment-lined bamboo steamer set over boiling water, and steam until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peas, and season with salt. Cook, covered, for 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt and pasta, and cook until pasta is al dente, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain pasta. Meanwhile, in the same skillet you used for the peas, heat remaining tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add spring onions, parsley, sage, chives, garlic, cooked peas, salt, and 1 tablespoon water. Cook, covered, until onions are bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Add arugula, and cook until wilted. Top cooked pasta with pea mixture. Garnish with 1 tablespoon chervil and 1 tablespoon grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
• Remove eggplant from steamer, and cut lengthwise almost in half. Top each eggplant with 1/4 cup ricotta cheese; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and remaining tablespoon chervil. Top each serving of pasta with a ricotta-stuffed eggplant, and serve immediately.

SPRING GARDEN PASTA

Steps:

• Beat flour, eggs, oil, and salt together in a bowl. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until a smooth and very thick dough forms.
• Turn dough out onto a work surface and knead until very smooth, about 10 minutes. Cover; let dough rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Divide dough into 8 balls. Roll each into a thin sheet about 18 inches long using a pasta roller or a rolling pin. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flower petals, 1/4 tablespoon thyme, and 1/4 tablespoon dill on the lengthwise half of each sheet. Fold sheet in half over petals and herbs, then roll again into a thin sheet. Cut into long, 1-inch wide strips using a pizza cutter.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and boil until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain.
• Toss with Parmesan cheese, butter, lemon zest, and juice. Season with salt and pepper.

SPRINGTIME PASTA

Steps:

• Boil the pasta in salted water. Add the kale for the final 2 mins, then drain, reserving a little of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, dry-fry the bacon in a nonstick pan until crisp. Remove from the pan and drain off most of the fat, leaving behind about 1 tsp. Gently fry the onion in the fat for 2-3 mins until soft.
• Tip the cooked pasta and kale into the pan, then stir through the bacon and goat's cheese. Add a little of the pasta cooking water if the mixture seems a bit dry. Serve in bowls scattered with grated Parmesan, if you like.