Fusilli Primavera Recipes

PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli and cook as the label directs. Add the sugar snap peas and/or broccoli, carrots and bell pepper to the boiling water during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and vegetables and return to the pot.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until just golden, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the tomatoes begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water. Pour the tomato mixture over the pasta and vegetables. Add the mint, parmesan and half the goat cheese and toss to combine. Season with salt.
• Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the remaining goat cheese and drizzle with olive oil.

FUSILLI PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente, adding the asparagus during the last minute of cooking. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water, then drain the pasta and asparagus.
• Meanwhile, slice the corn kernels off the cobs. Run the back side of the knife down the cob over a bowl to remove any corn milk. You should get about 2 tablespoons.
• Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, fennel, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; cook until the fennel is browned in spots and tender, about 4 minutes. Add the corn kernels and corn milk and another 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender, about 2 minutes.
• Add the pasta and 1 cup cooking water to the skillet and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, cheese, tarragon and butter until creamy, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen; season with salt and pepper.
• Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with more cheese and pepper; drizzle with olive oil.

FUSILLI PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Set a pot of well salted water to boil. Trim the bottoms off the asparagus and, if they are thick, peel off their skins from just below their tips downwards.
• When the water comes to a boil, add the asparagus and cook until fully tender. Remove the asparagus from the water with a skimmer or tongs. (Don't drain the water out of the pot.) Let the asparagus cool then cut the tips of the asparagus into short lengths.
• Put the rest of the stalks into a blender, along with a good knob of butter, a basil leaf or two, a spring of parsley, a pinch of salt and a ladleful of the water in which the asparagus have boiled. Blend well, adding more water if needed to obtain a smooth, pourable purée. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
• Meanwhile, defrost the frozen artichoke hearts under warm water, then drain and cut them into thin wedges. Combine with the peas and asparagus tips in a bowl and have this medley at the ready.
• Now add the fusilli to the pot where you've cooked your asparagus and cook until al dente.
• While the pasta is cooking, warm a good pour of olive oil and a knob of butter in a large skillet. Add the pancetta and let it render, then add the spring onion and sauté just until it wilts. Add the artichokes, peas and asparagus tips. Sauté everything together over lively heat for a few minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper and moistening with a drizzle of white wine as you go.
• When the vegetables are tender and have had a chance to absorb the flavors of the onion and pancetta, remove about half the vegetable mixture and set aside.
• Add the asparagus purée to the skillet with the remaining vegetables, mix well and set over very low heat.
• Mix the egg and grated cheese together in a bowl and reserve.
• When the pasta is almost, but not quite al dente, drain and add to the skillet. Toss the pasta with the sautéed vegetables over low heat, loosening the pasta with a ladleful of the pasta water if need be. Keep tossing for a minute or two, until the pasta is well coated, then add the egg and cheese mixture, and mix it in well, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly, as if making a carbonara.
• Serve the fusilli immediately, topped with the rest of the sautéed vegetables, along with additional grated Parmesan on the side for those who want it.

FUSILLI PRIMAVERA WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• Heat a saucepan of lightly salted water to boiling. Add the string beans and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove. Place in a bowl of ice water to cool. In the same boiling water, cook the carrots for about 5 minutes; cool as for the string beans. Add the asparagus tips to the same boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes. Cool, as for the other vegetables.
• In about 1 cup lightly salted boiling water, cook the shrimp until pink, about 3 minutes. Remove from water and cool.
• Boil the pasta in salted water as the package directs for al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water; drain pasta. Cool and place in a serving bowl. Add the cooked vegetables; the raw tomatoes, bell pepper and radishes; and the shrimp. Sprinkle with parsley and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss. Add a little pasta cooking water and toss again. Adjust seasoning as necessary.