April Showers Bring...

I am a pasta freak. I used to think that making simple pasta recipes were easy outs and a quick fix for a somewhat substantial meal. To this day my favorite pasta dish is the extremely complicated recipe below:

3 handfuls of Farfalle pasta, al dente please
dash of salt and oil
spoonful of butter
some peas
large helping of grated parmesan cheese on top

Intricate, I know.

After spending a semester in Italy, I thought I tried enough varieties of pasta dishes to last me a lifetime. Yet, now pondering the many Roman meals I enjoyed accompanied by countless glasses of house wine and friends, I realize those pasta dishes were incredibly heavy and filling. So filling that it was difficult to fathom actually standing up and trekking the half-hour walk back to my apartment.

But I can’t complain about the food in Italy.

I just need to try something new. Something fresh.

This morning I was glancing through some seasonal produce recipes and stumbled upon a refreshing recipe. It is extremely simple and uses the freshest seasonal ingredients. The recipe yields many servings which will thankfully come in handy as I encounter my large work load this week. Can't wait to share this one with friends.



Asparagus, Avocado, and Snap Pea Pasta

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus, trimmed ends and cut into 2” pieces
1 lb sugar snap peas
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into ½” pieces
1 lb farfalle pasta
4 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped basil (can substitute with fresh mint or parsley)
½ cup shredded pecorino cheese

Directions:

Cook asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes. Add snap peas and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove vegetables from boiling water, saving the water to cook the pasta with.

Return to a boil, add pasta, and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and set aside.

In the same pot, melt two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add asparagus, snap peas, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook and toss vegetables until crisp. Add cooked pasta, avocado, fresh herbs, and cheese. Toss to combine and add additional cheese if desired.

Serves 6.

(This recipe was adapted from marthastewart.com)


One of my favorite pecorino cheeses, locatelli.
A nice addition to this recipe.