Your Best Springtime Pasta Recipes

[jabelt]

I'm trying to round out my Easter menu with a great springtime pasta recipe. Maybe something lemony. Or with asparagus or peas. Any suggestions?

TIA

[jphilg]

Last night we had a great dinner of orzo and asparagus with a lemon vinaigrette. I added some chicken, but without it, it would be a great Eastery side. I jsut made it up, but I remember the proportions:

Lemon-Asparagus Orzo
To serve 8-12 as a side:

1 lb orzo
2 lbs asparagus, trimmed and sliced on the bias into 2-inch lengths
1/2 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or diced
Zest of one lemon (long shreds, made with a channel knife, are pretty)
Juice of one lemon (at least 2T)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and cook orzo according to package directions. Approximately 4 minutes before the pasta is ready, add asparagus pieces to water (if you are not sure about the pasta cooking time, you can always steam asparagus separately). Drain orzo and asparagus, and toss with onion and feta in a large bowl.

Whisk together remaining ingredients, and adjust seasoning to taste. Pour over warm pasta mixture, and toss. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

[granolagirl]

I really like Giada's Lemon Spaghetti recipe. Very light and spring-y!

Lemon Spaghetti
Giada De Laurentiis

1 pound spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

[AliKat11]

I, too, second Giada's Lemon Spaghetti. Have made it w/spaghetti and with penne (kinda liked the penne better) and both times, DH & company raved, and guests asked for recipe.

YUM!! And very spring-like, too. :)

[MISSINDI]

I like Giada's Lemon Spaghetti as well, but it's more of a main course, as opposed to a side dish.

I took a cooking class a few weeks ago, and one of the recipes was an Orzo salad with feta, chunked salami and Kalamata olives. Happy to post the recipe, if that'll work for you. It was DELICIOUS and light and freshing... hope this helps!

[keg64]

Originally posted by MISSINDI
I took a cooking class a few weeks ago, and one of the recipes was an Orzo salad with feta, chunked salami and Kalamata olives. Happy to post the recipe, if that'll work for you. It was DELICIOUS and light and freshing... hope this helps!

Ooh, that sounds very good. Please post! TIA

[jabelt]

They all sound delicious!

Missindi ~ a second request for the recipe you mentioned, please.

For Easter, I'm going to go with the Lemony Spaghetti. My SIL is a vegetarian so it's actual good that it's more of a main dish. I think I'll take the tip and make it with penne (easier for the kids that way).

Thanks again everyone!

[MISSINDI]

I'll post the recipe later today ... I promise. :D

[Schmee]

When I think Spring Pasta,I atomatically think Pasta Primavera(because that's what it means :) ). A really good light pasta with lots of crunchy vegetables.
Anyway,I do not have a tried and true recipe,maybe someone else does.

[Schmee]

I just found 2 from FoodTV,of course I have not tried either but I usually have success with Giada's recipes

Pasta Primavera
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately. Giada DeLaurentiis

Pasta Primavera
8 ounces penne or rotelle, reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup thinly sliced yellow squash
1/2 cup fresh or frozen petits pois
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups seeded and diced plum tomatoes, including juices
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons each minced fresh parsley and basil
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add pasta and cook until a little less than al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. In the same pot, combine the chicken stock and cooking liquid and simmer to reduce. In another large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the broccoli, carrots, yellow squash, peas and then plunge them in ice water to refresh. In a skillet, heat oil and add the tomatoes including their liquid and garlic and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in parsley and basil. Add the cream to the simmering chicken stock. Then add the pasta to the simmering chicken stock mixture and toss to combine. Add the blanched vegetables and toss gently until just heated through. Transfer to a serving dish and top with tomato sauce, freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Sara Moulton/Gourmet Magazine

[Chelle D]

I really like this CL recipe:

Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill, and Lemon



1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.
Combine pasta, onions, cheese, dill, and chickpeas in a large bowl, tossing gently to combine.

Combine juice and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

CALORIES 327 (29% from fat); FAT 10.4g (satfat 2.9g, monofat 5.1g, polyfat 1.8g); PROTEIN 10.8g; CARBOHYDRATE 47.6g; FIBER 4.9g; CHOLESTEROL 13mg; IRON 3mg; SODIUM 641mg; CALCIUM 107mg;
Cooking Light, AUGUST 2002

[masimmons]

Please don't forget to post your recipe - sounds wonderful to me.

[MiMo]

I was given this recipe by a former co-worker a few years ago. I haven't tried it (since I am not a fan of asparagus) and it's not light, but I thought I would post it for you anyway.

ASPARAGUS LEMON PASTA

1 1/2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1/2" pieces
3/4 lb. bow-tie pasta
3 T. butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 T. freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Accompaniment: Freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Place asparagus pieces in boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Immediately transfer to colander and rinse with cold water. Place on paper towels to drain.

Cook pasta until al dente, then drain. In large skillet, heat butter and cream on medium heat until butter is melted, stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and pepper. Reduce sauce slightly. Add cooked pasta and asparagus and heat through (about 1 minute). Serve with grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese.

Makes 4 servings

[keg64]

:D

[MISSINDI]

Ooops, sorry! Here you go -- really, DO try it. So simple, light and refreshing. Hope you like it as much as we do.

Feta and Orzo Salad

2 cups cooked orzo pasta
1/2 cup dry salami, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup sliced, pitted kalamata olives
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Combine orzo, salami, olives and feta cheese in large salad bowl. Whisk together oil, vinegar, cumin and pepper in small bowl. Pour over feta mixture, stirring until blended. Serve.

[keg64]

Thank-you Missindi!