Pasta Primavera

A delicious, fresh pasta dish, perfect for a warm evening with a chilled glass of white wine!

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Recipe Info
Servings: 4
Prep: 20m
Cook: 20m
Total: 40m
Ingredients
  • 400g asparagus
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 160g spinach, shredded if large
  • 80g podded broad beans (frozen are fine)
  • 80g shelled peas (frozen are fine)
  • 400g pasta shells (conchiglie or conchiglioni), or tubes (rigatoni, penne, tortiglioni, etc)
  • 40g pine nuts
  • 75g butter
  • 4 spring onions, chopped
  • 160ml double cream
  • Zest and juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 small bunch fresh mint
  • 1 small bunch fresh basil
  • Pecorino romano, to finish
Instructions
  1. Bring a medium pan of water to a boil and put a colander in a clean sink of cold water (or fill a large bowl with cold water).
  2. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and cut the spears into short lengths. Salt the boiling water, then drop the spinach, beans and peas in the pan, blanch for a minute, then scoop out with a slotted spoon and refresh in the cold water. Cook the asparagus in the same pan for about four minutes, depending on its thickness, until just tender, then add to the rest of the blanched veg.
  3. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, drain the vegetables and dry them on kitchen towel, squeezing out as much water from the spinach as possible. Peel the broad beans, unless they’re very young (or you’re not fussed).
  4. Put the pasta on to boil. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small pan until lightly golden, then set aside.
  5. Once the pasta is almost done, melt the butter in a frying pan on a low heat and briefly fry the spring onions until softened.
  6. Pour in the cream, bring to a simmer, then add the lemon zest and juice to taste. Loosen the cream with a little of the pasta cooking water, taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, then add the blanched vegetables and toss to coat.
  7. Drain the pasta well, add to the pan and toss until it’s all coated with sauce. Scatter over the roughly torn mint and basil leaves, divide between plates, top liberally with the toasted pine nuts and grated cheese, and serve.
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