Pasta Primavera
- 1 package (16 Oz. Package) Fettuccini Noodles
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 whole Shallot, Minced
- 3 cloves Garlic, Sliced Thin
- 1/2 teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes, Or More If You Like It Spicy
- 1 whole Red Pepper, Sliced Thin
- 1 whole Zucchini, 1 Large Or 2 Small, Sliced In Half Moons
- 1 whole Summer Squash, 1 Large Or 2 Small, Sliced In Half Moons
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 cups Shredded Italian Cheese (parm, Romano, Fontina, Etc)
- 1/4 cups Fresh Basil
- 1/2 cups Toasted Breadcrumbs (optional)
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta until al dente.
- You want the pasta to still have some bite to it, as it will finish cooking through when you add it to the skillet.
- Remember to salt your water aggressively and do not oil the water.
- Oil makes the pasta too slippery and the sauce will not stick to the noodles.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Toss in the shallot and saute until translucent.
- Add in the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the bell pepper, zucchini and summer squash and cook until veggies are tender but still have some bite left to them, about 10 minutes.
- Salt and pepper to taste then transfer veggies to a plate and return pan to heat.
- Lower the heat to medium low and add the butter to the pan.
- While butter is melting, use a wooden spoon and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the heavy cream and mix well.
- Now its time to add the cheese; if you dont have any of the specified cheeses, you can use what you have and still make this work.
- I happened to have a bag of shredded Italian cheese blend in my fridge that I use for pizzas and it worked perfectly.
- Add the cheese 1 handful at a time and make sure it is thoroughly melted before adding more to the pan.
- You will need around 2 cups, but I like to taste as Im adding so the sauce is to my desired level of cheesiness.
- Salt and pepper to taste, then reduce heat to low.
- When pasta has finished cooking, drain thoroughly and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Add directly to the skillet with the cream sauce.
- Toss pasta with the cream sauce; if your sauce is too thick, add a little bit of pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Throw in the veggies, salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with fresh basil.
- Serve immediately with a big hunk of fresh Italian bread.
- Note: If you choose, you can top this with toasted breadcrumbs.
- I like the additional crunch it gives, but its purely optional.
- If adding, toast 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs with 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat until light brown.
- Sprinkle over pasta before serving.
fettuccini noodles, olive oil, shallot, garlic, red pepper, red pepper, zucchini, summer, butter, heavy cream, italian cheese, fresh basil, breadcrumbs
Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/pasta-primavera-2/ (may not work)