SERVES 4
SKILL LEVEL: EASY
COOK TIME: 15 MINS.
PREP TIME: 10 MINS.
COST: $
Spring can’t come fast enough in the Midwest. That’s probably true everywhere, but all I know is that when I start to see asparagus and favas and peas in the markets in Cleveland, my spirits improve. The flowers are starting to pop. The pretty girls aren’t so covered up. I can’t get enough of spring or spring vegetables, so why not use them all at once? This pasta with a quick pan sauce is my version of spring training. It gets me back into cooking fresh green things. When I made this on the show, we nearly had to physically restrain Carla from rushing the serving bowl and devouring the whole thing. For sure, it’s a lot for one person to eat, but Carla is a dedicated diner.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup bread crumbs
¼ cup minced chives
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Salt
1 pound fresh linguini pasta
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch asparagus, chopped
½ pound fava beans, shelled and blanched
½ pound English peas, blanched
Parmesan cheese, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1. Place a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Toss in the bread crumbs and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and, in a mixing bowl, stir in the chives, zest, and the cheese. Season with salt and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt. Cook the pasta 1 or 2 minutes less than the package instructions suggest.
3. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic and the asparagus and season with salt.
4. Add in the fava beans and peas. Add a ladle of pasta water to the pot along with the cooked pasta. Toss to coat, and season again with salt, add some freshly grated Parmesan, the butter, and a drizzle of olive oil. Top with the chive bread crumbs and serve.