Spaghetti Primavera
Submitted by jennidooner
Classic spaghetti primavera with seven blanched vegetables, sauteed mushrooms and tomatoes, a white wine cream sauce, pine nuts, and Parmesan. A springtime showstopper.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
60 minCOOK
20 minREADY
60 minThis is the real-deal spaghetti primavera, the kind that made its name at Le Cirque in New York and launched a thousand imitations.
Seven vegetables get blanched to crisp-tender perfection, then tossed with spaghetti in a light cream sauce built on butter, chicken broth, and dry white wine.
Sauteed mushrooms with red pepper flakes bring earthy heat, garlicky tomatoes add brightness, and toasted pine nuts scatter crunch through every forkful.
Yes, it takes a little more effort than your average weeknight pasta. But that first bite of spring vegetables in silky cream sauce tells you exactly why.
Kitchen Tips
- Blanch each vegetable separately since they all cook at different rates. Asparagus needs less time than green beans, and snow peas need barely a minute.
- Plunge the blanched vegetables into ice water immediately. This stops the cooking and locks in those vibrant green colors.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet, watching closely. They go from golden to burnt in about 10 seconds, and there’s no coming back from that.
Ingredients
Directions
Sauteed Tomatoes: In a medium skillet, sauté 2 teaspoons garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Add tomatoes, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
Sauteed Mushrooms: In another medium skillet, sauté mushrooms in 1 tablespoon oil for 2 minutes.
Stir in parsley and red pepper flakes. Mix well and set aside.
Sauteed Vegetables: In a large pot of boiling water, blanch zucchini, asparagus, green brans, broccoli, peas and pea pods in seperate batches until crisp-tender.
Plunge vegetables into ice water. Drain. In same large pot, sauté 2 teaspoons garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Add blanched vegetables.
Cook, tossing often, over low heat until heated through.
Pasta: While vegetables are cooking, boil spaghetti in another large pot of boiling water until al dente.
Drain and return spaghetti to pot.
Cream Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.
Whisk in chicken broth, wine, and cream until blended.
Heat through.
Assembly: Strain tomatoes, reserving juice and pulp seperately.
Set aside.
Pour hot cream sauce over spaghetti in pot, tossing to coat.
Add half the sautéed vegetables and tomato juice.
Toss over medium-low heat.
Add rmeaining sautéed vegetables, sautéed mushrooms, and pine nuts.
Toss until warmed through.
Gradually sprinkle with Parmesean cheese, tossing to mix.
Serve spaghetti in heated bowls.
Spoon tomatoes over each serving.
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