Is it spring yet?



Well, is it?

A few more days and it is officially the start of spring!
I am officially sick of winter! It seemed like it was so long this year.

Spring is asparagus season and though I use it all year long in recipes, it tastes so much better this time of year.

Here is my first spring pasta, made with peas & asparagus, served with a nice crisp Pinot Grigio.

Don't be afraid of the heavy cream or butter in the recipe, there are only 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup of cream for the whole recipe, and it serves 4 people generously.

Farfalle with Spring Asparagus, Prosciutto & Peas: (adapted from Food & Wine magazine)

3/4 box of farfalle (bow tie pasta)
4 slices of prosciutto or good ham, chopped
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups of chicken stock
1.5 cups of frozen peas, defrosted
1 lb. of asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
1/4 cup of heavy cream
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Heat some oil in a heavy skillet, one large enough to hold your pasta and sauce together.

Saute your garlic, prosciutto & sage for 3 minutes on medium until garlic is fragrant, make sure garlic doesn't brown.



Now add your 2 cups of chicken stock and asparagus pieces and boil until reduced a bit and asparagus is soft, about 5 minutes.

Add your peas & the 1/4 cup of heavy cream and simmer until starting to thicken, about 4 minutes.

While your sauce is simmering, cook your pasta as per directions and drain.

When your sauce looks thick enough, turn off the heat and add the cooked pasta, the 2 tablespoons of butter and the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper.



Serve immediately.
This was absolutely delicious.



Comments

Anonymous said…
What a lovely spring pasta! I love prosciutto here! I am also definitely ready for spring!
another word I love saying - farfalle - this pasta dish looks great!
Patsyk said…
What a perfect dish to usher in spring! Looks wonderful!
Ciao Chow Linda said…
You're so right - it's like a mouthful of the best spring tastes. I love the recipe. How can you be losing weight though? Are you limiting yourself to two bites?
Pam said…
I am ready for spring! This dish looks really delicious - I love the flavors used.
Foodiewife said…
You must have ESP on what's in my fridge. I'm blessed to have locally grown asparagus for $1.4lb. in my hometown. I can assure you that this is what's for dinner tonight.
Beautiful color and I can't wait to taste this simple but delicious recipe.

Thanks for solving my "what's for dinner" dilemma!
Michele said…
This recipe certainly makes it feel like spring! I love it!
The Food Hunter said…
It's almost summer here in Arizona. :-)

Pasta looks great. I love asparagus and I'm always looking for new things to do with it.
LaDue & Crew said…
I bet your house smells fabulous always! Looks so good!
Maria said…
Great spring dish! I am in love with the veggies that are in season now! Asparagus is one of my favorites!
Lori Lynn said…
Very pretty dish! And nice pairing with the Pinot Grigio! Springlike indeed!
LL
Anonymous said…
Oh yes, now this says Spring! Beautiful pasta!
Sara said…
I've declared it to be spring here - the weather's getting warmer and I'm starting to find spring produce! This looks delicious, I love asparagus.
Springs right around the corner, and this is a perfect dish for the season! Love the bow ties too!
brandin + kari said…
When do you add the peas?
Catherine said…
this is perfect! Quick, easy and sping time fresh.
Stacey Snacks said…
I revised the recipe to read:
add the peas with the heavy cream.
Thanks for noticing the omission!
brandin + kari said…
Well I am making a version of it tonight, and was wondering when you added in the peas:) hhahah!
Giff said…
Lisl popped right into the kitchen and made this the day we received our copy of the magazine, preggers and all. We used pancetta but otherwise stayed pretty true to recipe. Was quite good although I thought it could have used a bit more cream, even though I tend to go light on cream with pasta.
Kim said…
I could totally eat pasta everyday of my life and be happy. This dish looks so pretty and is a complete meal. Pasta, prosciutto and spring veggies....how can you go wrong? Beautiful!!
Anonymous said…
This looks like spring on a plate.
Sarah said…
this is a perfect use for the gorgeous asparagus i just bought at the farmers market. thanks for the idea!