Recipe of the Week: Fettuccini Pasta Primavera
Taste the fresh flavors of spring in this delicate pasta dish. Pasta primavera, which translates to spring pasta, is a classic dish that showcases the best combination of early spring vegetables. Use the freshest spring vegetables available and toss them in lemon juice for a refreshing taste. Serves eight. (Chef tip: Julienne is a culinary knife cut in which the item is cut into long thin strips, similar to a matchstick, about 1-inch long.)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 zucchini, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 red pepper, core, seeded and julienne
1 yellow pepper, core, seeded and julienne
8 fresh asparagus spears, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup snow peas
2 cups baby spinach, trimmed and chopped
1 lemon, juice and zest
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
1 pound basic pasta dough
Heat in a large 12-inch skillet the olive oil and saute the onion until soft and transparent. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper. Add the zucchini, cherry tomatoes, peppers, asparagus, snow peas and spinach. Cook for five minutes or until the vegetables start to wrinkle. Add lemon juice and zest and cook for one minute. Add the stock and bring to a boil; cook it for 10 minutes, add parsley and basil. Cook at high heat to reduce for two minutes. Adjust seasoning and reserve.
Break dough into lemon-size pieces and feed pieces into machine. Cut the dough into thin 12-inch long sections. With the aid of a pasta machine, cut dough into long strips using the larger toothed cutter. Spread fettuccine pasta on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bring a large eight-quart pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then pasta and boil for two to three minutes. Drain and toss pasta with prepared sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.