The story below is from our March/April 2019 issue. For the full issue Subscribe today, view our FREE interactive digital edition or download our FREE iOS app!
Welcome spring into your kitchen and onto your table. Prepare these delicious recipes perfect for a picnic in the warm sunshine or dining al fresco on the patio.
Ashley Cuoco
The best time to fall in love with food is in the spring when the farmers markets abound with every fresh colorful ingredient that your heart desires. Let your imagination be your guide as you plan your meals around the bounty of the season. Brighten up your breakfast with a fluffy French omelet made with delicate green herbs, baby green peas and petite pearl onions. Enjoy a picnic lunch of watercress cucumber sandwiches and balsamic deviled eggs made with farm fresh eggs. Toss a bottle of chilled cava in your picnic basket, too. Fresh spinach, basil and plump cloves of garlic make a lovely fresh pesto to mix with spring pasta carbonara for dinner.
Wake up your tastebuds and put a little spring in your step with these tasty recipes.
Spring Pasta Carbonara
With Fresh Spinach Basil Pesto
4 servings
- 2 eggs
- 1 box (8.82 ounces) Cipriani pappardelle pasta
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ pound pancetta
- 12 basil leaves, finely chopped
- 14 oz. can marinated artichoke heart quarters, drained
- ½ cup frozen baby peas, thawed
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of water to boil, add salt. Cook pasta in rapidly boiling water for three minutes, al dente. Remove from heat and drain it well. Do not discard the pasta water.
While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and roll the pan around to coat the surface with oil. Add pancetta and cook until crispy. Remove pancetta from the pan to cool. Crumble pancetta and put it back in the pan. Add garlic to the pan and continue to cook for two minutes. Add chicken broth and stir.
Crack eggs into a mixing bowl and beat them. Add a half cup of the warm pasta cooking water to the eggs and set aside. Adding the water to the eggs tempers them and keeps them from becoming scrambled when added to the pasta.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet with pancetta and garlic mixture. Reserve one to two cups of pasta cooking liquid. Add egg mixture while tossing rapidly with tongs or a large fork, to keep eggs from cooking. Remove pan from heat and add basil, artichoke hearts, peas and Parmesan cheese. Toss until the cheese is melted and the egg mixture coats the pasta. If the carbonara sauce is too thick, toss in a little of the pasta cooking water.
Toss one cup of the fresh spinach basil pesto with the pasta. Serve with extra grated Parmesan cheese at the table.
Fresh Spinach Basil Pesto
Yields 1 ½ cups
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 12 basil leaves
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Place spinach, basil leaves and olive oil in a blender or food processor container. Blend/process until smooth. Add garlic cloves, lemon juice, salt, pepper, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. Blend/process until smooth. Place pesto in covered container and chill until service. Any leftover pesto from this recipe can be refrigerated and used as a condiment for steamed artichokes or asparagus and on any foods that need a little spritz of lemon flavor.
Wine pairing: Domaine Du Colombier Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume. $35, Available at Mr. Bill’s Wine Cellar. The crisp, fresh flavor of the Chablis is an excellent accompaniment to the richness of the cheese-based carbonara.
... for Prosciutto Balsamic Deviled Eggs, Mason Jar Salads and more, plus more content from our March/April 2019 issue, Subscribe today, view our FREE interactive digital edition or download our FREE iOS app!