Spring Vegetable Pasta
I almost followed a recipe from Cook's Illustrated May/June 2011 issue. Baby peas, leek and asparagus with fresh chive, mint, and lemon sounded very spring. Luckily I was able to find spring asparagus. They are thin and tender, which for me asparagus should be. Campanelle, "little bells," was the recipe's choice. That is one of my favorite pasta shape. I was glad I had a box of the pasta in hand. Interestingly, the recipe cooks the pasta like risotto: saute the raw pasta and cook with wine and hot broth. The starch from the pasta makes creamy coating without adding any real cream. So the result is full of pure spring vegetable flavor. Yes, it was!
