what are the pastabilities?

My husband adores his pasta. Sadly to say, we have it once a week and some times, not always, we can finish a pound of pasta between the both of us. Back in April 1991, Gourmet Magazine published a recipe for pasta with spring vegetables and prosciutto. This recipe is loaded with asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, fresh or frozen petits pois (tiny peas), and snow peas. At this late date in the spring, you can still find New Jersey asparagus in the food markets. Although trenette pasta (fettuccine with one ruffled edge) may be difficult to find, Wegmans carries mafaldine (fettuccine with two ruffled edges) pasta for just under $5 for 17.6 ounce package.

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As I had to work yesterday, I prepped the veggies and sliced the prosciutto into thin strips before going to work. When I got home, I quickly made the tomato sauce and heated up a large pot of water to blanch all the vegetables. Once the vegetables were blanched, I placed them in the tomato sauce and then cooked the pasta. If I include the 10 or 15 minutes for prepping the vegetables and finish preparing the dish, it probably took approximately 45 minutes to get supper on the table last night.

No, we didn't finish the pasta. As a matter of fact, my daughter was down last night and had supper with us. There's a container left in the refrigerator, which will probably be someone's dinner one night this week.

As the local produce comes into the market this summer, you can add other vegetables to make this sauce. Although there is 1/2 cup of heavy cream in the sauce, it's not too rich or too filling.  Enjoy!

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Pasta with Spring Vegetables and Prosciutto
“Gourmet Magazine”, August 20, 2004
 
Servings: 6
 
Ingredients
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
a 35-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped coarse (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled, plus, if desired, fresh whole basil leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 asparagus stalks, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 bunch of broccoli, the flowerets cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups) and the stems reserved for another use
2 small zucchini, scrubbed, trimmed, quartered, and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 cup shelled fresh or frozen petits pois (tiny peas)
1 cup snow peas, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
dried pasta such as trenette (fettuccine with one ruffled edge)  or spaghetti
1/4-pound prosciutto, cut into thin strips
 
Preparation

1. In a kettle cook the garlic and the red pepper flakes in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is softened, add the tomatoes, and boil the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until it is thickened and the liquid is reduced to a thick purée. Stir in the chopped basil and salt and pepper to taste.
   
2. In a saucepan combine the butter, the cream, and the broth, bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer it, stirring occasionally, until it is reduced to 1/2 cup. Whisk in the Parmesan, whisking until the mixture is smooth, whisk the mixture into the tomato mixture, whisking until the sauce is combined well, and keep the sauce warm.
   
3. In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the asparagus for 2 minutes, add the broccoli and the zucchini, and cook the vegetables, for 2 minutes. Add the peas, cook the vegetables for 1 minute, and add the snow peas. Cook the vegetables for 30 seconds, or until they are all just tender, transfer them with a slotted spoon or sieve to the sauce, and toss them gently to coat them with the sauce.
   
4. Return the cooking liquid in the kettle to a boil, in it cook the pasta until it is al dente, and drain it well. In the kettle combine the pasta with the vegetable mixture, the prosciutto, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide the pasta mixture among 6 heated plates and garnish it with the basil leaves.

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