Recipe: Pasta Primavera

This is the perfect recipe for spring!  The original recipe calls for fava beans, but they're only in season late spring and summer.  I bought dried and they weren't nearly as good as fresh soybeans. 


Pasta Primavera with Soybeans and Mint
Recipe for two


- Ingredients -

1/2 lb fettucine 
1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
16 asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh soybeans . fava beans, shelled
1 cup fresh or frozen peas thawed
1 cup red onion, julienned
3 tbs butter
1/4 cup of white wine
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs fresh chopped mint
3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese


- Process -  

Boil a large pot of salted water.  Cook pasta for approximately 8 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of cooking liquid before draining water.  After draining, keep pasta warm in pot, toss with 1 tbs of olive oil so pasta doesn't stick.


While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a sauté pan.  When hot, add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add asparagus, soybeans, peas, and onion, and cook for one minute. Add butter and wine, 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. When you add the two cups cooking liquid from pasta, reduce by ½ to thicken sauce. When sauce is desired consistency, add pasta to sauce and toss with 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese.  Taste for seasoning, add salt or pepper if needed and transfer pasta to warmed plates. Sprinkle fresh mint and remaining cheese over each plate of pasta.



Click here for the original recipe from Ava Restaurant in Philadelphia. After making Chef Michael Campagna's original several times I made a handful of changes, but this is his recipe :)