Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera

Primavera means "spring" in Italian. In this recipe, the name refers to the crunchy and colorful mélange of vegetables in a creamy pasta dish. Be creative and use your favorite spring veggies or those suggested in the recipe. Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth if you want a vegetarian dish. Roasted vegetables give the dish a more intense flavor. Any variety of pasta can be used when making this dish. For advance prep chop veggies ahead and refrigerate until needed. Chicken or salmon can be added to the dish. Suggested wine pairings include Pinot Grigio, Italian Soave, or Viognier. The recipe serves four and is an Ever Ready Special.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup each of sliced radishes, snap peas and cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 bunch of asparagus spears cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup of red onion slices
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Garlic and Herb (salt-free) Seasoning by Mc Cormick
• 2 cups dried pasta (I used bow tie) 
• 1 cup drained marinated mini mozzarella cheese balls, halved

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup of broth chicken or vegetable 
• 3 tablespoons white wine 
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Dash red pepper flakes

Directions:

• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add veggies, onion slices, olive oil, and seasoning mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and spread evenly out on the baking sheet.   
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Bring water to a boil and add in the pasta. Lower heat and cook al dente for 10 minutes. Drain water and keep pasta in a colander.
• Roast veggies while the pasta is cooking for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to move veggies around on the baking sheet. Cook another 10 minutes more but be careful not to overcook. Cover cooked veggies with foil to keep warm. 
• In the same pasta pot, melt butter and sauté garlic. Add in broth, cream, lemon juice, and wine. Cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add in Parmesan cheese, cooked pasta, and roasted veggies with red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes more. Serve pasta dish with marinated mozzarella balls.