Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
½ bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch size pieces
1 small yellow squash, cut into half moon slices
1 small green zucchini, cut into half moon slices
1 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch size pieces
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
¼ cup pine nuts
1 pound penne pasta
½ cup frozen peas
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
Dried parsley, to taste
Dried oregano, to taste
½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Steps
Chop all the vegetables into 1 inch size pieces
Add 4 tablespoons of butter to a large saute pan
Turn the stove on medium heat and stir the butter around the pan as it melts
Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic to the melted butter and stir and saute for 30 seconds
Add all the pre-chopped vegetables to the pan, everything except the halved tomatoes
Stir the vegetables as they cook lightly over medium heat
Season the vegetables with some salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste and stir to combine
On the side, spread a ¼ cup of pine nuts on a small baking sheet
Toast the nuts in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes, remove from the oven when they are fragrant and just golden brown
Add 1 pound of penne pasta to a large pot of boiling water
Stir the pasta as it cooks so it doesn’t stick, cooking until al dente according to the packaging directions
Add a half cup of frozen peas to the pasta with a minute of cook time left and stir the peas with the pasta
Reserve a few ladlefuls of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta
Drain the cooked pasta and peas
Pour a ½ cup of chicken broth and a ½ cup of heavy cream in with the lightly sauteed vegetables
Stir the cream and broth together with the vegetables over medium low heat
Add the cooked and drained pasta and peas to the vegetables and cream
Season the pasta with some dried parsley and oregano to taste
Sprinkle in a half cup of finely grated parmesan cheese to the pasta
Stir to combine the pasta with the vegetables, cream, broth, seasonings, and cheese
Add the toasted pine nuts to the pasta followed by the halved tomatoes and stir again to incorporate
Pour a splash of the reserved starchy pasta water over pasta and toss once more before serving