Pasta Primavera
Whether you need to get dinner on the table in 15 minutes or you are just looking for a quick dinner, this recipe will certainly satisfy all your senses. Colourful, light, and fresh-tasting, you will need to have all your ingredients ready because it comes together in no time. Don't let its reference to springtime (primavera) throw you off! Use any combination of vegetables at their peak and you can make this pasta during any season. Start boiling the water! Dinner is almost ready.
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 hot chili pepper, chopped (optional)
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 medium yellow zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 medium green zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 cup green beans cut in 1" pieces
- 5 large mushrooms, sliced
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
- 1 large ripe tomato, chopped (or handful of cherry tomatoes, halved)
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pkg 450g pasta (ex. linguine, fettuccine, spaghetti, strozzapreti)
Instructions
- Place a large pot of water on the stove on high heat. Bring to a boil and follow the directions on the package to cook the pasta. Make sure that you have salted the water enough to make it taste "like the sea".
- While you are waiting for the pot to boil and the pasta to cook, prepare the vegetables.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the shallots and stir. Once they become translucent, then add the garlic and hot pepper.
- Add the wine and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the rest of the vegetables, starting with the vegetables that take the longest to cook. Stir to combine and cook for a few more minutes, with lid on pan. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Once the pasta has cooked a few minutes less than suggested on the package, use a spider to lift the pasta from the pot. Add to the pan with the vegetables.
- Toss the pasta with the vegetables for a couple of minutes, adding a ladle of pasta water. The pasta will absorb some of the liquid to finish cooking and the starch from the water will thicken the "sauce". Add a generous amount of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and toss again.
- Pour into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and top generously with grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve hot.
Notes
Consider varying the amounts of vegetables to reflect availability and preference.
Try different combinations of vegetables.
This recipe works well with penne, linguini, rotini, and even ravioli.
Consider adding grilled chicken breasts or seared shrimp.
