Fusilli Primavera Food

PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli and cook as the label directs. Add the sugar snap peas and/or broccoli, carrots and bell pepper to the boiling water during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and vegetables and return to the pot.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until just golden, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the tomatoes begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water. Pour the tomato mixture over the pasta and vegetables. Add the mint, parmesan and half the goat cheese and toss to combine. Season with salt.
• Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the remaining goat cheese and drizzle with olive oil.

FUSILLI WITH ZUCCHINI PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
• Meanwhile, working in 2 batches, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, until very browned, 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Pulse half of the zucchini in a food processor with the pecorino, almonds and garlic until a fine paste forms. With the machine running, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil until smooth.
• Toss the pasta with the pesto, 1/2 cup reserved cooking water and the remaining zucchini in a large bowl, adding more cooking water if needed; season with salt and pepper. Top with more toasted almonds and pecorino.

FUSILLI PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions in a Dutch oven; drain. Return pasta to pan. Set aside.
• Trim asparagus. Remove tips; set tips aside. Bias-slice remaining asparagus stalks into 1-1/2-inch pieces. Set stalks aside.
• In a wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet stir-fry garlic and red pepper in hot oil for 15 seconds over medium-high heat. Add carrots and leek; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes; stir-fry for 1 minute more. Add asparagus stalks, vermouth, and salt. Cook, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Add asparagus tips. Cook, uncovered, for 1 minute more. Add butter, stirring till melted. Add asparagus mixture and basil to pasta; toss gently to coat. Transfer to a warm serving dish. Garnish with nuts and shaved cheese. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

ONE-POT PASTA PRIMAVERA WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• Place pasta in a large, wide-bottomed pot or large, wide, straight-sided pan. Add garlic, salt, black pepper, and 3 1/2 cups hot water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover and cook, setting a timer for cooking pasta according to package directions and stirring often. When 5 minutes remain on timer, stir in broccoli and green beans. Cover pot and return to a boil. (If pot starts to dry out at any point, add another 1/2 cup water.) When 2 minutes remain on timer, stir in shrimp, tomatoes, peas, and butter. Cover and continue to cook 2 minutes, then uncover and cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, shrimp are cooked through, and water is almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute more.
• Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest and 3/4 cup Parmesan and toss to coat. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed.
• Divide pasta among plates. Top with basil, additional Parmesan, and red pepper, if using.

FUSILLI WITH PECORINO ROMANO AND BLACK PEPPER

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard. Add the spinach and 2 teaspoons pepper, and cook until the spinach has wilted, about 1 minute.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and add the pasta. Add the Pecorino Romano cheese and 2 teaspoons each salt and pepper, and toss until coated.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the reserved cooking liquid and the mascarpone cheese until smooth. Pour over the pasta and toss until coated. Season with salt.
• Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and serve.

FUSILLI WITH FRESH POMODORO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the packaging suggests, about 8 minutes. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the flesh of the tomatoes, stopping when you are left with just the skin. Heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the grated tomatoes, whole basil and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the hot oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove the garlic and basil stems from the pot and stir in the ricotta. Add the pasta followed by the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir to combine and coat everything in the sauce.
• Cook for another 2 minutes to finish cooking the pasta and thicken the sauce slightly, adding pasta water if the sauce ever looks too dry. Stir in the chopped basil and serve topped with additional ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

FUSILLI PRIMAVERA WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• Heat a saucepan of lightly salted water to boiling. Add the string beans and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove. Place in a bowl of ice water to cool. In the same boiling water, cook the carrots for about 5 minutes; cool as for the string beans. Add the asparagus tips to the same boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes. Cool, as for the other vegetables.
• In about 1 cup lightly salted boiling water, cook the shrimp until pink, about 3 minutes. Remove from water and cool.
• Boil the pasta in salted water as the package directs for al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water; drain pasta. Cool and place in a serving bowl. Add the cooked vegetables; the raw tomatoes, bell pepper and radishes; and the shrimp. Sprinkle with parsley and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss. Add a little pasta cooking water and toss again. Adjust seasoning as necessary.