Summertime Pasta Primavera

This is by far one of my all-time favorite pasta recipes, perfect for summertime because it's packed with color and freshness.  It's one of the first recipes Beau and I tackled together, thanks to our favorite cookbook, The Sopranos Family Cookbook.  If you're a former fan of The Sopranos and lived vicariously through them for six seasons like we did, you would love this cookbook.  It's full of pictures and sticky notes, bios and authentic Italian recipes that are fairly easy to make and pair excellently with a glass (or bottle) of vino.

This pasta primavera is a fair amount of chopping, but completely worth it!  And one of the beautiful things about this dish is that it exactly tastes better the second day.  The leftovers are superb, so take my advice and cook the entire pound of linguine!  
  
Summertime Pasta Primavera

  
-4 tbsp. butter
-1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped 
-3 medium carrots, peeled and finely sliced
-1 cup broccoli florets
-1 cup asparagus tips
-1 cup frozen peas
-1 1/2 cups heavy cream
-salt and freshly ground pepper
-10 basil leaves, chopped
-1 lb. linguine
-1/2 cup Parmesan
 
1.  Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.  Add salt to taste.  Add the broccoli and asparagus and cook for one minute.  With a slotted spoon, scoop out the vegetables and drain them.  Leave the water boiling in the pot.

2.  In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and carrots and cook, stirring occassionally, for 5 minutes or until softened.

3.  Add the broccoli and asparagus to the skillet, along with the peas and cream.  Bring to a simmer.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in basil.

4.  Drop the linguine into the boiling water and cook, stirring frequently, until al dente.  Drain the linguine and add the sauce.  Add the Parmesan and toss.  Serve together.  

I recommend a glass of white wine and some garlic toast or caesar salad!

Bon Appetite!