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Creamy Pasta Primavera

Creamy Pasta Primavera
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Our Creamy Pasta Primavera combines fresh pasta, springtime vegetables and prosciutto in a creamy, flavorful sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped leeks (white only cleaned of sand)

1 large yellow bell pepper chopped (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic

Pinch red pepper flakes

2 cups heavy cream

1 bunch asparagus

2 medium carrots

1 medium zucchini

4 ounces prosciutto

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup sweet onion cut into medium strips

1 pound fresh fettuccini

Zest from half a lemon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch fresh watercress, rinsed and spun dry

12 mint leaves

Grated Parmesan cheese, as garnish

Instructions

  1. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add the three tablespoons of the olive oil along with the leeks, yellow pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for ten minutes, stirring often. Add the heavy cream, heat to a simmer then lower heat to a low simmer and cook for five more minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender and set aside.
  3. Place a 5-quart pan on with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add a few teaspoons of kosher salt.
  4. While the water is heating, prepare the vegetables.
  5. Break off and discard asparagus ends. Then snap off tips but do not discard. Take the remaining stalk and if large, cut into quarters the long way, medium cut in half the long way and if small, leave whole. Set these and tips aside.
  6. Peel carrots then slice into thin long slices on a mandolin. Lay flat and cut further into long strips. Set aside.
  7. Slice zucchini on mandolin into long flat strips. Lay the strips stacked then slice into strips about the same width as the fettuccini. Set aside.
  8. Lay the prosciutto stacked and slice into strips then cross ways into pieces.
  9. Meanwhile, place a large saute pan over medium heat and add the two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions and the prosciutto and cook for three to four minutes until the onions are tender.
  10. When the water boils and has been salted, add the asparagus stems and tips and cook for less than a minute. Use a spider or type of strainer and remove asparagus from the water and add the to the pan with the onions.
  11. Do the same for the carrots and zucchini, dipping in the boiling water for less than a minute and adding to the pan.(*See Notes below)
  12. Once the water is back to boiling, add the fettuccini and cook slightly less than al dente, about 1-2 minutes. Add this to the pan with the vegetables.
  13. Pour in the reserved yellow sauce along with enough pasta water to smooth out the mixture, about a cup or more.
  14. Once hot, remove from heat and add lemon zest and black pepper.
  15. Place the watercress on a platter and pour over the pasta and vegetables.
  16. Tear fresh mint over the top and shave or grate fresh Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Vegetables should be slightly blanched and have some snap to them.

Leftover pasta water can be used to thin out the mixture if it gets too thick or to reheat leftovers.

Find it online: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/creamy-pasta-primavera/