Spring Garden Pasta Food

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.

SPRING GARDEN PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Set aside.
• For the dressing: Meanwhile, add the peppers, vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper and roasted garlic to the carafe of a blender. Turn the blender to high and blend until the peppers are pureed and the ingredients are incorporated. Once the mixture is smooth, reduce the speed to low. Remove the cap inside the blender top and slowly drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify the mixture into a thick and shiny dressing.
• Pour the dressing over the warm pasta. Add the sliced fennel and toss to combine. Pour into a serving dish.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the spring vegetables: the baby kale, snow peas, radishes and 1/4 cup of the fennel fronds. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently toss, then place in a mound over the dressed pasta mixture in the serving dish. Garnish with edible flowers if using.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Wrap the garlic cloves in aluminum foil. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Refrigerate the cloves in an airtight container. Peel right before using.

SPRING GREEN SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water with 2 tablespoons salt to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reserve a cup of the pasta water, then add the snow peas, fresh peas and asparagus to the spaghetti and cook for 2 minutes longer. Drain the pasta and vegetables together.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium (10- to 11-inch) sauté pan over medium heat, add the pancetta and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
• While the pancetta cooks, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water and set aside to heat the bowl. Just before you drain the pasta, pour the water out of the bowl. Put the cream, eggs, egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water into the bowl and whisk to combine. Immediately, add the hot pasta and vegetables and toss with tongs for a full minute or two, until the pasta absorbs the sauce. Add enough reserved hot pasta water to keep the sauce creamy. Add the 3/4 cup Parmesan, the scallions, chives, lemon zest and juice, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and toss well. Add the pancetta, sprinkle with salt and serve hot sprinkled with extra chives and Parmesan.

SPRING GARDEN LINGUINE WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot with water, add 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil; meanwhile, prepare an ice bath. Place beans in a sieve, and lower into water. Let water return to a boil, about 1 minute; blanch 1 minute more. Remove sieve from water, and place beans in ice bath. Transfer to a colander; drain. Peel and discard tough skins; set beans aside.
• Using same blanching water and sieve, blanch peas until just tender and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove sieve from water; transfer peas to ice bath. Transfer peas to a colander, drain, and set aside.
• Discard blanching water; fill stockpot with fresh water. Add 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente.
• Meanwhile, combine ricotta, Parmesan, chopped mint, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Just before pasta has finished cooking, add 1 cup cooking water to cheese mixture; stir to combine.
• Drain pasta, and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the olive oil; toss. Add ricotta mixture, reserved fava beans, and reserved peas; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with mint leaves; serve.

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.

GARDEN PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Combine dressing, parsley, basil, and garlic; mix well.
• Add cheese, broccoli, and noodles; mix lightly.
• Chill.
• Spoon on salad plate; surround with tomatoes.

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 CHICKEN PASTA

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti as directed on package, but without salt; drain.
• Cook asparagus, tomatoes, garlic, bell peppers, onion and broth in 3 quart saucepan over medium heat 5 minutes.
• Stir in chicken.
• Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly until asparagus is crisp-tender and chicken is cooked through.
• Stir in spaghetti and remaining ingredients.
• Toss bout 30 seconds or until heated through.