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Pasta
Primavera
Though
primavera means spring in Italian, you can make this colorful pasta
any time of the year. In fact, summer may be the best time when
there is so much good local produce around. Because you have a great
deal of flexibility with this dish, select the best vegetables the
market has to offer that day. Other than those listed below you
could use broccoli, carrots, summer squash, and zucchini.
Alternative herbs include chervil, chives, Italian parsley, oregano,
tarragon, and thyme.
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Olive
oil spray
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1
medium onion (about 8 ounces)
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8
ounces button mushrooms
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One
7-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers
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2
teaspoons salt plus additional for seasoning
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8
ounces asparagus or green beans
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8
ounces sugar snap peas or snow peas
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1
clove garlic
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1/2
cup well-packed fresh basil leaves
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1
cup part-skim ricotta
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2/3
cup whole milk
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1/2
teaspoon freshly ground pepper plus additional for seasoning
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1
cup cherry tomatoes
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12
ounces any short fresh pasta such as penne or fusilli, or dried
capellini (angel hair)
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Grated
Parmesan to pass at the table
1)Run
the hot-water tap and put 2 quarts hot tap water in each of 2
pots (one large enough to eventually hold all the water and pasta).
Cover and bring both pots to a boil over high heat, 8 to 10 minutes.
2)Meanwhile,
spray a 12-inch, nonstick sauté pan with olive oil spray and put it
over medium heat. Cut off a thin slice from the top and bottom of
the onion. Halve the onion lengthwise, then peel each half. Cut the
halves crosswise into thin half moon slices. Add the onion to the
sauté pan. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Add to the sauté pan.
Increase the heat to medium-high, stir, and cover. Drain the red
bell peppers. Coarsely chop. Add to the sauté pan and stir. Season
with salt to taste and cook the vegetables until they begin to
soften but are still firm, about 3 minutes.
3)Meanwhile,
cut off the bottom inch from the asparagus spears (or the tips of
the green beans) and cut into 1-inch long pieces. Break the stem end
off the sugar snap or snow peas and peel off the strings, if
desired.
4)Peel
the garlic. With the motor of a food processor running, drop the
garlic down the chute to finely chop. Stop the motor and scrape down
the sides with a rubber spatula. Add the basil leaves and pulse
until chopped. Add the ricotta, milk, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and salt
to taste. Puree until smooth. Put into a large mixing or serving
bowl. Add the vegetables from the sauté pan and mix well.
5)As
soon as the pasta water boils, pour the water from the smaller pot
into the larger pot. If using dried capellini, break the pasta in
half. Add the pasta to the pot with 2 teaspoons salt, the asparagus,
and peas. Stir well, cover, and return to a boil. Stir well again,
partially cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring at least one
more time, or until the pasta is done to your taste.
6)Meanwhile,
cut the cherry tomatoes cut in half and add to the mixing bowl. Just
before the pasta and vegetables are done, scoop out and reserve 2/3
cup of the cooking water. Drain the cooked vegetables and pasta,
leaving some water clinging to them. Add to the mixing bowl. Toss
and gradually add the reserved pasta cooking water, 1/3 cup at a
time until the pasta is well coated with sauce. Adjust seasoning
with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Pass the Parmesan at
the table.
Serves
4
Calories: 447.50, Fat: 9.02g /17.84%, Saturated Fat:
4.23g
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