A new twist on pasta: Asparagus and peas 

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A new twist on pasta: Asparagus and peas

By Laura Santini

Published: | Updated:

This is all about spring. In fact, that is exactly what Italians call this dish: primavera.

SERVES 2

60g unsalted butter

1 banana shallot, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

a generous handful (about 100g) of sugar snap peas, trimmed

a bunch (about 200g) asparagus, woody ends removed and cut into 2.5cm lengths

a handful (about 100g) of frozen peas, defrosted

200g dried pasta or 160g fresh pasta

2 tbsp parmigiano reggiano shavings, plus extra to serve

a handful of mint leaves, finely chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Put a large pan of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. Toss in the shallot, garlic, sugar snaps, asparagus and peas and sauté for 2-3 minutes to remove the rawness of the vegetables but still keep them vibrant and relatively crunchy. Season and set aside.
  • When the salted water is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the pasta, but keep a cup of the cooking water.
  • Tip the pasta into the buttery vegetables, adding a tiny splash of the retained pasta-cooking water. Add the parmigiano shavings and mint and toss with gusto over a high heat until the pasta is well coated and creamy. Serve with extra freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle of parmigiano shavings.

TIP Try adding shards of crispy fried prosciutto di Parma on top.