Pasta Primavera
This pasta dish uses Meyer lemon and olive oil along with fresh basil for flavor, but it's infinitely adaptable, to your taste. Use other herbs, fresh or dried, that you like. Use lime and cilantro and add some hot pepper for a completely different version.
By Donna Currie
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 8 oz. dry rotini pasta, cooked in boiling salted water, drained
- 24 thin stalks asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/8-inch thick circles
- 1 small yellow squash, trimmed and cut into 1/8-inch thick circles
- 1 large handful snow peas, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces, diagonally
- 1 small bunch (6-8) scallions, white and tender green, cut into 1/8-inch slices
- 1 small endive, cut in half lengthwise, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 large red pepper, fire roasted, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 6 radishes, diced
- 12 grape tomatoes, halved
- 12 large basil leaves, cut in thin ribbons
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 Meyer lemon, juiced and zested
- 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided (more as needed)
Directions
Directions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an EverLast Ceramic frying pan. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring or flipping until the asparagus is bright green and cooked through but still crisp. Transfer the asparagus to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the zucchini and yellow squash to the hot pan and cook, stirring or flipping, until the squash is cooked to your liking. I liked it with some pieces lightly browned while others were still mostly raw. Add the squash to the bowl with the asparagus.
- Add the snow peas to the pan and cook until bright green, but still crisp. Add to the mixing bowl.
- Add a small splash of olive oil to the pan, if needed. Add the scallions and endive and cook briefly, just until barely wilted. Add to the mixing bowl.
- Add the red pepper, radishes, tomato halves, and basil to the bowl. When the pasta is cooked through, drain it well and add it to the vegetables in the bowl. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and the 2 additional tablespoons of olive oil.
- Mix well, taste for seasoning, and add salt, pepper, or extra lemon juice, as needed.
- Serve warm. Drizzle with extra olive oil just before serving, if desired.
- Refrigerate the leftovers. If the pasta seems dry after it is chilled, add olive oil, as needed.
