Spring Pea and Asparagus Pasta

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Cookie + Kate

Total Time

45 minutes

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Rating

(37)

Ingredients

6 servings

1 pound (16 ounces) whole grain pasta (conchiglie, orecchiette, shells, fusilli or linguine will work)
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for garnish
5 shallots, quartered lengthwise and sliced very thin crosswise
1 pound pencil-thin asparagus, woody ends snapped off, and cut in ½-inch slices on the bias
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shelled fresh or frozen English peas (defrost peas if frozen)
⅔ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or regular Parmesan), plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from one lemon)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (less than one lemon)
1 cup roughly chopped mixed herbs (flat-leaf Italian parsley, chives and mint, other suggestions include chervil and tarragon)
¾ cup toasted pine nuts
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

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Preparation

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Step 1

First, prep your vegetables. Then bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta for two minutes less than the package directions. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water and drain the pasta.

Step 2

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in your largest frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown (about 5 minutes).

Step 3

Add the asparagus and garlic, season with salt, and cook until the asparagus is knife-tender and bright green (about 3 minutes). Stir in the peas and cook until the peas are bright green (about 2 minutes).

Step 4

Add the drained pasta to the pan along with 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to coat. Cook until the sauce starts to coat the pasta (about 2 minutes). Remove the pan from heat and transfer its contents to a large serving bowl. Add the cheese and butter and stir to coat. (Add more pasta water as needed. The sauce should just cling to the pasta.)

Step 5

Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs and pine nuts. Taste and adjust seasonings as required (add a pinch of salt, red pepper flakes and/or a squeeze of lemon juice if desired). Grate some cheese over the top and garnish with freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.