Cooking with Rania: Pasta Primavera
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Rania Harris is showing Boaz a fresh pasta recipe for springtime.
Pasta Primavera
Ingredients:
- ¾ pound fresh spring peas
- 1 pound spring asparagus - cut into 2" lengths
- 1 bunch broccoli (florets only)
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves of garlic - chopped
- 1 each: diced red and yellow pepper
- 6 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- 1 pound thin spaghetti - cooked al dente
- (reserve about ½ cup to 1 cup of the cooking liquid for the sauce)
- 4 tablespoons minced fresh chives
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or more to taste)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Blanch peas, asparagus, broccoli florets and carrots separately, removing each batch to ice water as it is crisp but still tender, to stop the cooking process. Heat the olive oil and the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat and infuse with chopped garlic. Add the peppers and sauté for one minute. Add the pine nuts and sauté one more minute. Add blanched vegetables and toss until just warmed through. Transfer hot pasta to a warm serving bowl. Add hot vegetables to pasta along with just enough of the cooking liquid to moisten the dish. Toss in chives and basil. Toss well, and season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle a little bit of olive oil over the top. Divide pasta among warm serving plates. Pass grated Parmesan separately.
Serves: 4 as a main course or 6 as a side dish
