Primavera
INGREDIENTS
- 1 small bunch broccoli, about 1 heaping cup of florets
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 4 asparagus spears
- ½ cup peas, fresh or frozen
- ½ cup snow peas
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 3 Roma or other paste tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 12 basil leaves, chopped
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- ¼ cup chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt
PREPARATION
Get a large pot of water boiling. Salt it well. It should taste like the sea. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Boil the broccoli for 1 minute. Add the asparagus and boil another minute. Add the snow peas and boil for 30 more seconds. Remove all the vegetables and plunge them into the ice water. Once they’re cool, drain in a colander. If you want, you can boil your pasta in the same pot you boiled the vegetables in, or you can start over and boil new water; I use the same water.
In a large sauté pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. When the butter is hot, add the garlic and zucchini and sauté 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes and sauté another 2 minutes, stirring often.
Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and turn the heat to high to bring it to a boil. Add the cream and toss in all the vegetables you boiled, plus the peas. Stir to combine. Turn the heat down until the cream-chicken broth mixture is just simmering, not boiling.
Add the parmesan cheese and stir to combine. If the sauce seems too thick – it should be pretty thick, but not gloppy – add some more chicken broth, cream or water.
Boil the fresh pasta. As soon as the pasta is done, transfer it with tongs into the sauce and stir to combine. Add the basil now, and taste for salt. Add salt if needed. Grind some black pepper over everything and serve immediately.
