with everything going on in the world right now, a lot of us have turned to cooking comforting meals. this pasta is comforting, yet vibrant & fresh! it utilizes easy to find spring produce & is super simple to make. the ingredients featured in this recipe are likely ones you already have on hand! the "sauce" is extra virgin olive oil based with a hint of lemon juice & lemon zest. it is important to use a quality extra virgin olive oil (not regular olive oil) to maximize the flavour. i used monini's granfruttato extra virgin olive oil (produced in italy), which offers an intense & strong flavour. monini olive oil is celebrating 100 years of providing cooks with superior olive oil! best used raw, which is why the olive oil is mixed in at the very end of the cooking process (plus a little drizzle before serving).
this dish is a great main (vegetarian), but also compliments a protien like roast chicken or baked salmon (justin's personal preference). lastly, while i used radiatori pasta (because i think the shape is so fun) any variety of pasta will work. just be sure to cook it to al dente as the cooking directions on the box specify. cheers!
ingredients
- 2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup monini's extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, minced
- salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups spring peas, blanched
- 1 cup diced asparagus, blanched
- 1 pound radiatori, cooked to al dente
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsely, roughly chopped
- 1 cup grated percuroino cheese, plus more for serving
directions
- in a skillet over medium heat add 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic & shallots. season with salt & pepper. cook until shallots soften, about 5-8 minutes.
- stir in the peas & asparagus. cook for an additional 2-4 minutes.
- add the radiatori, remaining olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsely & cheese. remove from heat & mix until evenly combined.
- sprinkle with additional cheese, a drizzle of olive oil & serve!
