Pasta Primavera

Primavera in Italian means “spring” and can also refer to spring vegetables. Most Italian pasta dishes are very heavy with lots of cheese and cream sauce, but pasta primavera is very light. Some recipes have chicken, and others add shrimp instead of vegetables only. There are so many ways to prepare this pasta dish – some roast the vegetables and toss the pasta with roasted vegetables. Others stir-fry or steam the vegetables. In the springtime, this pasta dish is so delightful with all kinds of vegetables that available. For a healthy, meatless meal of superior taste, this pasta dish is the one.

Ingredients:
Two cups Penne pasta
1 cup julienne-cut carrots
1 cup green beans
1 cup cut asparagus
1 cup julienne-cut red, green, and yellow peppers
2 button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup onions
1/2 cup pasta water
1 tsp Herbs de Provence
1/4 tsp pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add generous amount of salt to the boiling water. Quickly blanch carrots, asparagus, and green beans.

 Remove the vegetables from the boiling water and plunge into cold water to stop cooking further.

 Add penne pasta and cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until the penne is “al dente” (soft on the outside and firm in the inside, not mushy). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
In a sauté pan, add olive oil and butter and cook until hot.

 Stir in garlic and chili flakes. Cook until fragrant (stir the garlic so it does not burn).

Stir in onions and Herbs de Province.

 Add fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

 Cook for 3 minutes. Add cooked vegetable and red, yellow, and green peppers.

Stir in the cooked penne and add pasta water. Mix the pasta and vegetables well.

Pour into a serving plate and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and basil. If desired, Parmesan cheese can be added at this point.