Spring Vegetable Ragout with Fresh Pasta
This quick pasta is spring incarnate: fresh baby vegetables and their tender shoots, delicate pasta, and a light, brothy sauce.
Ingredients
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Kosher salt
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3/4 pound fresh pasta sheets
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1 small clove garlic, minced
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Freshly ground black pepper
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3 cups mixed spring vegetables (such as medium-thick asparagus, baby carrots, baby turnips, spring onions, and sugar snap peas), trimmed and cut into 1- to 3-inch long by 1/2- to 3/4-inch-wide pieces
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1/2 cup shelled peas or peeled fava beans
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1/3 cup loosely packed pea shoots or watercress sprigs; more for garnish
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1/4 cup loosely packed chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as basil, chervil, mint, parsley, and/or tarragon; more for garnish
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4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
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1-1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
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Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish (optional)
Directions
1.
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. With a pizza cutter or chef's knife, cut the pasta sheets into rustic strips about 1/2 inch wide.
2.
In a 10- to 11-inch straight-sided saute pan, bring 2-1/2 cups water, the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to a simmer over high heat. Add the mixed vegetables and simmer briskly, adjusting the heat as necessary, until just crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a large plate. If using peas, simmer them until barely tender, about 2 minutes, and transfer to the plate with the slotted spoon. (If using favas, skip this step.) Raise the heat to high and boil the liquid until reduced to 1 cup, 3 to 4 minutes.
3.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water until barely al dente, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain.
4.
Add the cooked pasta, vegetables, favas (if using), pea shoots or watercress, herbs, butter, and lemon zest to the broth. Toss over medium-high heat until the butter is melted, about 1 minute.
5.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with pea shoots or watercress, fresh herbs, and Parmigiano (if using).
Tip:
To peel fava beans, shuck them and cook them in boiling salted water until tender, 1 to 2 minutes, then rinse them with cold water and peel off the skin.
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