This simple pasta primavera uses a combination of the earliest vegetables available in spring — asparagus, peas and spring onions — making it a true celebration of the season. The sauce works best with fresh egg pasta, homemade or a good purchased brand. Make sure not to overcook it; you need the chewy bite to stand up to the gently cooked vegetables. If you can’t find good fresh English peas, you can substitute frozen peas, but don’t add them until the last minute of cooking.
INGREDIENTS (4 servings):
¼ lb sugar snap peas, stems trimmed
½ lb asparagus, ends snapped
2 Tbsp Olio Santo or House Blend EVOO
¾ cup fresh English peas
¼ cup thinly sliced spring onion, white part only (or use shallot)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper, plus more to taste
12 oz fettuccine or tagliatelle, preferably fresh
⅔ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, at room temperature*
½ cup crème fraîche or whole milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature*
3 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
drizzle of Basil EVOO
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
While the water is coming to a boil, slice snap peas and asparagus stems into ¼-inch-thick pieces; leave asparagus tips whole.
Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add snap peas, asparagus, English peas and onion. Cook until vegetables are just barely tender (not too soft or mushy), 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper; remove skillet from heat.
Drop pasta into boiling water and cook until al dente (1 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta, more for dried pasta). Drain pasta and transfer into the skillet with vegetables, tossing to integrate. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano, crème fraîche, herbs and drizzle of Basil oil, and continue tossing until integrated. Season generously with salt and pepper, to taste.
*Note: If your dairy is not at room temperature (ours often isn't, especially if we make this on a weeknight without a lot of forethought), turn the skillet with veggies back on just before adding the pasta, AND reserve a 1/2 cup of pasta water, which you can add in small splashes as you toss toss toss everything together. You don't want to cook the ingredients more, but just bring the temperature back up for serving.
