Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera.  The name just screams Spring.  Literally, primavera means Spring.  I thought that this would be quite fitting to welcome the season and enjoy some fresh produce and make sure that B and I don't sit around eating cake and cupcakes all the time and actually eat something good for us!  I bought a large bunch of asparagus that I was excited about using, seeing as it's a Spring vegetable, and I tried to use some other timely vegetables. Fennel is at the end of its season, and carrots are almost always in season.  The tomatoes and red pepper are in there because they were in the original recipe and because I just like them. 

I had never owned Herbes de Provence before I decided to make this recipe and I'm so glad I purchased them.  I love how they tasted and more than that, I loved how they made my house smell.  It was wonderful.  B came home, walked in the house and was instantly excited about dinner.  Predictably so, the baby lady wanted nothing to do with the entire dish.  I was ok with that though, because it was so good and I was glad that there was more for me to eat.

Ingredients:
3 small carrots, peeled
1 red pepper
1/2 bunch asparagus
1 small bulb fennel, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c. olive oil
1 T. herbs de Provence
1 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. shaped pasta (I used farfalle)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

How:
Preheat your oven to 450ºF.  Cut the carrots, red pepper, and asparagus  into 1 inch long strips.  Toss the vegetable strips, fennel, and onion in the oil, herbs de Provence, salt and pepper.  Spread the vegetables out evenly on two baking sheets.  Bake until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring at the 10 minute mark.

While the vegetables are cooking, cook your pasta of choice.  Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.  Once the vegetable are done, toss the pasta with them in a large bowl.  Add the cherry tomatoes and slowly add the pasta water until the pasta is just moistened.  You will most likely not use all, or even most of the water.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve.

adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis
Print Page