Pasta Primavera

Each week I like to look ahead and plan the week. Even if it isn’t always a full menu plan, I like to have an idea of what is coming, make sure the week isn’t too carb heavy, that we aren’t having the same protein all week…keep it interesting. Well, this week’s plan was foiled when I got hit with one of my greatest foes – a migraine. Instead of heading to the grocery store, I was in bed with the lights off. After resting and taking medicine, the migraine eventually wore off, leaving me without the groceries I needed for dinner. So what was I to do?

I know what you are all thinking…ORDER, DUH! But I have to say, we are limited in our ordering options out here in the ‘burbs. That is the thing I miss most about living in NYC. There was always a new restaurant to try and you could have any type of food delivered to your apartment with a simple Seamless Web order. Out here, our choices are basically pizza, Chinese and sushi. So instead of ordering one of the same go-to-dishes, I decided to raid our kitchen and create a pantry meal.

After looking around, I decided upon a simple Pasta Primavera. This recipe is a great one to have on hand when you need a last minute meal. The staples are items I am certain you will have on hand, and the vegetables can be changed to anything you have left over.

The best part of this recipe is that you get to use up all the veggies that are sitting in your refrigerator drawer, waiting to spoil. Based on some of the recipes I made earlier in the week, I found myself with leftover broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms and grape tomatoes. But any vegetable can work in a pasta primavera — eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini, sugar snap peas…the options are endless.

Start the dish by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Chop your various vegetables into bite size pieces. If you have any “woodier” vegetables, like the broccoli or asparagus, it is good to blanch them in advance of cooking them. To blanch means to cook your vegetables quickly in boiling water. It helps to seal in the color and the crispness of the vegetables before you sauté them.

While the veggies are blanching, start heating the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. After 30 seconds, remove the broccoli and asparagus from the water and place in the pan. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook to al dente according to package directions. Meanwhile, add the garlic, remaining vegetables, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Cook the vegetables for 3-4 minutes, until they begin to brown and tenderize. Add in the chicken stock, and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.

When the pasta is finished cooking, remove it from the water and add it directly to the veggies and sauce.

Last step, add in the parmesan cheese and stir to combine. The cheese and the remaining chicken stock will come together to form a light sauce over the noodles and vegetables. If you want there to be a little more sauce, you can always add some of the water left over from boiling the pasta. The starches in that pasta water will bind to the food, allowing the sauce the coat the dish nicely.

As always, add a glass of wine and dinner is served.