Primavera Pasta Food

PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook garlic until soft, about 1 minute. Add peppers and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, asparagus and tomatoes and cook until softened, an additional 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute more. Add chicken stock, milk, salt and pepper and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until liquid has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrot strips.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with vegetables and sauce. Add pasta water, if necessary, to loosen mixture. Serve garnished with Parmesan, parsley and basil.

PRIMAVERA PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water until no longer hot; set aside.
• To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, milk, sour cream, parsley, chives, mint, lemon zest and juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 2 tablespoons Parmesan in a small bowl. Set aside. Before tossing, splash in more milk if needed for thinning.
• In a large bowl, combine the pasta, broccoli, tomatoes, peas, asparagus, carrots and leeks. Pour over the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the remaining tablespoon of Parmesan and some black pepper. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

PASTA POMODORO FOR TWO

Steps:

• Puree the tomatoes using an immersion blender or food processor. Set aside.
• In a saucepot over medium heat, combine the olive oil, pepper flakes and garlic. Gently toast the garlic until golden brown, being careful not to burn it. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer; simmer 5 to 8 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
• Add the pasta to the pot with the sauce. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, half of both cheeses and half of the basil and cook, tossing frequently, until the pasta is nicely coated. Season with salt if necessary.
• Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the remaining cheese and basil and drizzle with olive oil.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Gently melt the butter with the parsley, chives and mint and set aside in a warm place. Prepare all the vegetables: shell the peas, wash the carrots and trim away any leaves but leave a short green stalk in place (the stalk is edible but it is also there to show the vegetable is freshly harvested!), thickly slice the courgettes and trim the green beans.
• Bring 2 large pans of water to the boil (one for the pasta, one for the veg). Lightly salt the water in one of the pans, add the pasta to it and cook until al dente (10-12 minutes or according to the cooking instructions on the packet). While the pasta cooks, add the carrots to the other pan and cook for 2 minutes. Next throw in the peas, green beans and courgettes and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Drain both the pasta and the vegetables well. Return the pasta to the hot pan with a splash of olive oil, half the herb butter and the lemon zest and juice. Return the vegetables to their pan, toss with the rest of the herb butter and season well with salt and pepper.
• Spoon the pasta on to serving plates, grind some black pepper over and serve with the vegetables on top. Scatter on as much basil as you like and serve straight away.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• For the vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook for 1 minute. Then add the broccoli; cook for another minute. Add the red peppers; cook 1 minute more. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.
• To the skillet, add the butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil; allow to heat up. Add the mushrooms, zucchini and squash, and cook until starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and add them to the other vegetables. Set aside.
• For the sauce: Add the garlic and onions to the skillet, and cook until starting to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Next, pour in the chicken broth and wine; stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the flavorful bits. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until reduced by about half. Stir in the cream and Parmesan, and allow the cheese to melt. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
• Add the cooked vegetables to the sauce, along with the peas and basil; stir to combine. If the sauce needs a little more liquid, splash in a small amount of broth. Place the cooked pasta in a large serving bowl and pour all the contents of the skillet over the pasta; toss to combine. Sprinkle with extra basil, and serve with extra Parmesan.

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.

HEALTHY PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and put a steamer (or colander) over the water. Steam the beans, asparagus and peas until just tender, then set aside. Boil the pasta following pack instructions.
• Meanwhile, fry the leeks gently in the oil and butter for 5 mins or until soft. Add the fromage frais to the leeks and very gently warm through, stirring constantly to ensure it doesn't split. Add the herbs and steamed vegetables with a splash of pasta water to loosen.
• Drain the pasta and stir into the sauce. Adjust the seasoning, then serve scattered with the cheese and drizzled with a little extra olive oil.

CLASSIC PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot for pasta.
• Bring 3 quarts water to boil in a large saucepan for veggies with salt.
• Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
• Add green beans to water and cook for 1.5 minutes.
• Add asparagus and cook 30 seconds.
• Add zucchini and cook 30 seconds.
• Add peas and cook 30 seconds.
• Drain veggies and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Let them sit until chilled, about 3 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
• Melt 3 tbs butter in the now empty saucepan over medium heat.
• Add mushrooms and cook until soft and lightly brown, 8-10 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes and pepper flakes, cook until tomatoes begin to loose their shape, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
• Add pasta and 1 tbs kosher salt to pot and cook, stirring often, until al dente.
• While pasta is cooking, melt remaining 3 tbs butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add blanched veggies and cook until heated through and infused with garlic, about 2 minutes.
• Season to taste.
• Bring tomatoe sauce back to a simmer over medium heat.
• Drain pasta and return it to the pot.
• Add tomato sauce, veggies, basil and lemon juice. Toss to combine.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately passing Parmesan separately.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• On 1 cookie sheet toss all the veggies in olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper until well coated. Transfer half veggies onto another cookie sheet. Spread veggies into an even layer on both pans.
• Roast at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes.
• Toss hot pasta with butter. Then add veggies to the pasta. Use reserved pasta water to combine ingredients if necessary (sometimes I just don't need to add it -- ).
• Sprinkle with parm cheese, adding more salt and pepper to taste if need!