This dish is very simple to throw together after a long day of work. It’s quick fresh healthy and will give you a genuine feeling of satisfaction. Freshly picked vegetables right out of the garden.
Three vegetables I grow are string beans, tomatoes, and zucchini. I also put in my homegrown basil along with carrots, shallot, and garlic which come out of the fridge.
Very simple, you’re going to assemble everything on the counter; prep your veggies, rinse, peel and cut. You’re also going to put your pot on for your vegetable blanch and pasta, starting to bring it to a boil.
In your saucepan, you are going to saute your shallots and garlic. To quicken the process when your water comes to a boil your going to put your string beans and carrots in the water for a five-minute blanch; then your going to ladle them out with a slotted ladle.
Put your water back on to bring it up to a boil for a second time for your pasta. Doing it this way your the pasta pot is doing double duty; for the blanch of veggies and the pasta boil.
To your shallots and garlic, your going to add your zucchini. Saute that for about 5 minutes then add your tomatoes and fresh basilico (basil) and let the flavors meld.
Put your peas in and let them cook for 5 minutes. Then put the remainder of your veggies back into your saucepan and let everything cook for a few minutes so all the flavor comes together. Turn off your burner and cover with a lid.
Now when it comes to tomatoes I do prefer fresh ripe plum tomatoes for this dish but if you do not have any, the next best tomato would be Cento whole plum tomato in the can. This brand is one of my all-time favorites.
For this dish, you would only use about 1/4 to 1/3 of a can and you want to hand crush them prior to adding to your vegetable medley. Now I know what you’re thinking “why doesn’t she just used the crushed?”. The crushed just does not have the consistency you want for this dish; take my word for it use the canned whole tomato and crush it yourself.
Now everything’s prepared all you have to do is assemble it, so check your pasta for “al dente”; you do not want it overcooked.
Drain the pasta but reserve some of your pasta water. Pasta goes in your pasta bowl your going to add your parmesan cheese work it into your pasta add some of the pasta water and some olive oil and stir.
Next, you’re going to add your vegetables incorporate them into the pasta, save some veggies to top it off, put a little more cheese on top and let the finishing touch be some freshly chopped basilico!!
Molto bene, mangia, mangia!!
Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 2 Chopped carrots
- 2 cups Fresh string beans
- 2 zucchini chopped
- 4 Cloves fresh garlic, chopped
- 4 fresh plum tomatoes chopped Also; if you do not have fresh the next bast tomato to use would be whole canned peeled plum tomatoes, you can hand crush them. They are the ones you want not the crushed in the can, take my word for it and hand crush them yourself. You want to use from 1/4 to 1/3 can of tomato.
- olive oil Use liberally
- 3/4 box ziti pasta
- handful each or more Parmesan Cheese
- handful Chopped fresh basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 or 2 chopped shallots
- 1/2 cup frozen peas If fresh is available by all means use fresh.
Instructions
- 1-Put your pot on for your pasta, add the salt to the water, bring to boil
- 2-Clean and chop your carrots, zucchini, garlic, string beans and tomatoes
- 3-Saute your carrots, garlic, and tomatoes in olive oil; remove from pan, set aside
- 4-If water is at a boil, par cook your string beans for about 3 minutes; then remove with a slotted spoon, set aside and bring your water back up to a boil(for your pasta)
- 5-Saute your peas and zucchini for a few minutes you may need to add a little more olive oil. After they have cooked for a few minutes your going to add back in all the vegetables and saute them all together and add some salt and pepper. The fresh ground pepper really tops it off
- 6-Start to cook your pasta while your vegetables are sauteing
- 7-After your pasta is al dente (meaning is to be a little under cooked), your going to strain your pasta BUT your going to save some of the pasta water.
- 8-By this time your vegetables are probably done. You going to start to incorporate all your ingredients together.
- 9-Your going to put your pasta in a pasta a dish which would be large enough for your pasta and all your vegetables.
- 10-Put your pasta into the bowl to that your going to add your cheeses and some of your pasta water; mix well. To this your going to work in all you vegetables stir well. You can top it off with a little more cheese and some fresh basil.
- Now the only thing left to do is enjoy it, mangia bene!!
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