Pasta Primavera, translated as pasta with spring vegetables, is made up of a wonderful selection of fresh green vegetables and spaghetti, all swathed in a creamy, cheesy sauce. It was created in the 1970s by Sirio Maccioni, co-owner of the legendary Le Cirque restaurant in New York. Although it is now recognised as an Italian-American classic, it was apparently originally created in Canada, on Prince Edward Island to be precise.
Serves 2
Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
Select a frying/cast iron pan large enough for the spaghetti to lay flat on the base. Heat over a moderate heat and add the pine nuts. Cook, stirring regularly, for 2 – 3 minutes, until the pine nuts are lightly browned. Remove from the pan.
Next bring some water to the boil in the pan and toss in the broad beans. Simmer for 1 minute and then drain. Set the beans aside.
Now melt the butter with the olive oil in the pan, over a moderate heat, and add the spring onions. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables:
- broad beans – remove the outer skin
- garlic – peel and crush
- asparagus spears – break off the woody end and cut, at an angle, in 1cm slices
- tender stem broccoli – separate the florets, trim the stem and cut, at an angle, in 1cm slices
- courgette – trim, halve and slice
- cherry tomatoes – halve
Add the broad beans, garlic, asparagus, broccoli and courgette to the pan, as well as the chilli flakes, if using. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Stir from time to time.
Add the tomatoes and cook for a further minute. Remove all the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
Next add the spaghetti, salt, pepper and boiling water to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until only 2 – 3 tablespoons pasta water remain and the pasta is nearly cooked to your liking. It should be a tiny bit too al dente! As it cooks, stir from time to time. This helps to create a thicker sauce which will cling better to the sides of the pasta. Please note:
- If the pasta is cooked, and there is too much liquid left, boil briskly to reduce the liquid quickly.
- If the water has disappeared and the pasta is not yet cooked, add a little more boiling water and cook until the pasta is ready.
Add the cream and cheese to the pan and cook, stirring, for a minute or two, until the cheese has melted and a delicious cheesy sauce swathes the pasta.
Finally, return all the cooked vegetables to the pan, as well as the frozen peas, and heat through.
Stir in the shredded basil, sprinkle with pine nuts and serve immediately, with extra grated parmesan on the side.
NB If you would prefer a little extra sauce, simply add some extra cream or some boiling water.
Equipment:
Increasing the quantities:
This recipe serves 2 people. To increase the quantities you need to –
For example if you are cooking 110g pasta –