Spring Pasta
SPRING LEMON BASIL PASTAš
Weāre gonna blink and itās gonna be summer, so might as well take advantage and make this Spring Lemon Basil Pasta on rotationš Curly pasta, fresh asparagus and peas, gahhhlic, and a zingy lemony parmesan sauce that keeps things light and bright with every bite. Only 6 ingredients, and ready in 15 minutes or less, youāre gonna love this one!
Serves 3-4.
Ingredients:
For the Asparagus, Lemon Basil Pasta:
10oz short grain pasta (Gigli, orecchiette, fusili)
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
8oz asparagus, ends removed and cut into 2ā pieces
Juice and zest from 1 lemon
1 tbsp butter (or olive oil)
1 tbsp olive oil + more for finishing
2 cloves garlic, minced
Ā½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (please only use fresh and grate yourself with a microplane - itās the best way to achieve a luscious sauce)
8-10 basil leaves, sliced thinly
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
For the Spring Lemon Pasta:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then add your pasta. Cook 2-3 minutes less than the package directions for al dente pasta.
While your pasta is cooking, heat your oil and butter in a nonstick skillet on medium heat and add in your garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until soft (you donāt want any color on the garlic).
Add in the asparagus and peas and toss, cooking for 2-3 minutes or until just tender but still bright green. Season with salt and pepper.
Reserve Ā½ cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the veggies. Reduce the heat from the skillet to low.
Add in the lemon zest, juice, and half the parmesan cheese.
Stir constantly, slowly streaming in a few tbsps of the pasta water at a time to melt the cheese and create a sauce. Add in the rest of the parmesan cheese and a bit more pasta water and stir until desired consistency is reached. You will likely not use all the pasta water.
Once you have reached the desired consistency and the pasta water has been absorbed, shut off the heat and stir in the fresh basil.
Serve with a light drizzle of olive oil and more parmesan cheese and enjoy!