Pasta Primavera

Name: Pasta Primavera
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: Salt; 1 medium zucchini, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4"-thick pieces; 1 medium yellow summer squash, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4"-thick pieces; 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups fresh shelled green peas; Florets from 1 lb. broccoli; 8 spears asparagus, trimmed and cut crosswise into thirds; 6 tbsp. olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced; 16 button mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered; 1 ⁄ 4 cup pine nuts; 4 plum tomatoes, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped; 1 lb. spaghetti; 3 cups heavy cream; 1 ⁄ 4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; 1 ⁄ 4 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock; 4 tbsp. butter, softened; 12-14 leaves basil, shredded

Serves
serves 4

MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

Sirio Maccioni, the well-known restaurateur of Le Cirque fame, has been acknowledged for creating this dish.

Ingredients

Salt
1 medium zucchini, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4"-thick pieces
1 medium yellow summer squash, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4"-thick pieces
1 ¹⁄₂ cups fresh shelled green peas
Florets from 1 lb. broccoli
8 spears asparagus, trimmed and cut crosswise into thirds
6 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
16 button mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered
¹⁄₄ cup pine nuts
4 plum tomatoes, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1 lb. spaghetti
3 cups heavy cream
¹⁄₄ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
¹⁄₄ cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
4 tbsp. butter, softened
12-14 leaves basil, shredded

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Instructions

Step 1

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Put zucchini and squash into a sieve, blanch for 30 seconds, transfer to a large bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking further, then gently shake sieve to remove excess water, transfer vegetables to a small bowl, and set aside. Repeat blanching and cooling process with the peas, broccoli, and asparagus, in that order, setting vegetables aside in separate bowls.

Step 2

Heat 2 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute zucchini and squash and broccoli until just beginning to brown, 2-3 minutes. Add peas, one-third of the garlic, and salt to taste, saute for 1 minute, then transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean. Heat 2 tbsp. of the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat and saute mushrooms until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Add pine nuts and saute until golden, 1-2 minutes. Add half the garlic and salt to taste, saute for 30 seconds, then transfer to a small bowl, cover, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean. Heat 1 tbsp. of the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, saute asparagus until lightly browned, about 1 minute, then transfer to a small bowl, cover, and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tbsp. oil, tomatoes, remaining garlic, and salt to taste to the skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until tomatoes break apart and release their juice, 3-4 minutes. Cover and set aside.

Step 3

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat until just cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, boil 2 1⁄2 cups of the cream in a large skillet over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, 5-6 minutes. Stir in parmigiano and salt to taste. Drain pasta, add to skillet with cream, and cook, stirring often, until pasta absorbs sauce, 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining 1⁄2 cup cream, stock and butter, and stir constantly until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes.

Step 4

Divide pasta among four warm bowls. Dividing quantities equally, top pasta with zucchini-broccoli mixture, mushroom mixture, tomato sauce, and asparagus, in that order. Garnish with basil.