Pasta Primavera

Ahhhh...the first day of Spring....the leaves are peeking out of every branch of our trees and the grass is starting that familiar change from dormant hay to vibrant green. It's calling to me. Over the weekend, I planted, or replanted I should say, my herb beds and am getting ready for a Spring and Summer filled with light, bright food where fresh, lush vegetables are the focus. I've turned the corner from the root vegetables and the heaviness of winter squashes to the succulent, light, vibrancy that is on its way - tomatoes, eggplant and corn won't be far off now.

So, what better way to signal Spring than with the eponymous dish. Primavera is Italian for Spring and while this dish isn't truly Italian at all, being invented at Le Cirque in the 1970's, it is still a delight. It makes frequent appearances in our home all Spring and Summer. This version, adapted from Giada DeLaurentis, cuts out the blanching of the original and instead features roasted vegetables (what else?!) The results are a sweet, caramelized showcase of the vegetables' natural flavors.

Pasta Primavera (adapted from Giada DeLaurentis)

• 1/2 lb carrots, peeled
• 1/2 lb summer squash (your choice - zucchini, yellow squash, a mixture)
• 2 ripe sweet peppers (your choice - red, yellow or orange, a mixture)
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb dried bow-tie pasta
• 20 cherry tomatoes (either halved, if large or left whole if small)
• 1/2 C shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Cut carrots into 1 in rounds(on diagonal if you want to get "Fraunchy"); cut squash into 1/2 thick half circles; cut bell peppers into 2 in strips. On a large baking sheet, toss the vegetables (including onions) with the oil and dried herbs; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix until well coated. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another baking sheet. (I like to line my pans with foil to help cut down on the clean up mess.) Arrange the mixture evenly over both sheets and bake in the oven. Stir after first 10 minutes and continue cooking until the carrots are tender and the other vegetables begin to brown lightly (about another 10 minutes for a total of 20 minutes.)
2. While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the bowties and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, but still firm (al dente), about 9-10 minutes. Drain, but reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot, toss in the roasted vegetables to combine. Add the cherry tomatoes and just enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten. 
3. Transfer to serving bowls; season with additional salt and pepper if you like. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Happy Cooking!

 sld

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