Spring Pasta Recipe 425

Steps:

• Bring a small pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Prepare an ice bath. Blanch the peas in the boiling water until bright green, about 20 seconds. Transfer immediately to the ice bath. Once cool, drain completely.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt until it tastes of lightly salted broth. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot and pepperoncini and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the maitake and oyster mushrooms and cook until softened, another 3 to 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine.
• When the pasta is cooked to al dente, add the pasta to the pan with the mushrooms directly from the pot, reserving the pasta water. Allow the pasta to finish cooking in the mushroom sauce, about 1 minute. Add the peas, butter and Fresno chile and stir to coat. Turn off the heat and add the Pecorino Romano in handfuls, stirring in between additions to prevent lumps. Add pasta water to thin the sauce as desired. Finish with the basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Cut asparagus into 1 1/2 inch pieces discarding the tough ends.
• Cut mushrooms in half or quarters.
• Cut bell pepper into 1 inch squares or strips.
• Combine vegetables in a bowl. Add olive oil and toss lightly.
• Add garlic, salt and pepper. Gently mix well.
• Pour into bar pan (cookie sheet with edges) and bake for 10-12 minutes until crisp tender.
• Snip basil with kitchen scissors.
• Prepare pasta according to pakage instructions.
• In a small saucepan, simmer whipping cream for 6-8 minutes, on medium low heat to slightly thicken. Stir constantly so it doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan.
• Drain pasta and transfer to large bowl. Add veggies, heated cream and basil. Toss lightly.
• Mix 1/4 c of parmesan cheese into the pasta.
• Spoon onto serving plates or dishes. Sprinkle with remaining paremesan and some additonal black pepper.

Steps:

• Prick eggplant several times with the tip of a knife. Place it in a parchment-lined bamboo steamer set over boiling water, and steam until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peas, and season with salt. Cook, covered, for 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt and pasta, and cook until pasta is al dente, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain pasta. Meanwhile, in the same skillet you used for the peas, heat remaining tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add spring onions, parsley, sage, chives, garlic, cooked peas, salt, and 1 tablespoon water. Cook, covered, until onions are bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Add arugula, and cook until wilted. Top cooked pasta with pea mixture. Garnish with 1 tablespoon chervil and 1 tablespoon grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
• Remove eggplant from steamer, and cut lengthwise almost in half. Top each eggplant with 1/4 cup ricotta cheese; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and remaining tablespoon chervil. Top each serving of pasta with a ricotta-stuffed eggplant, and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
• While the water is coming to a boil, slice snap peas and asparagus stems into 1/4-inch-thick pieces; leave asparagus tips whole.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add snap peas, asparagus, English peas and onion. Cook until vegetables are barely tender (but not too soft or mushy), 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Drop pasta into boiling water and cook until al dente (1 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta, more for dried pasta). Drain well and transfer pasta to a large bowl. Immediately toss pasta with vegetables, Parmigiano-Reggiano, crème fraîche and herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper, if needed.