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Seriously Simple: Spring pasta is easy to make with pantry staples

By Diane Rossen Worthington, Tribune Content Agency on

We are all having trouble finding ingredients right now. Grocery stores are mobbed, and shopping online is overtaxed. This Seriously Simple vegetarian pasta dish celebrates spring with common ingredients that should be relatively easy to procure or already in your pantry.

Picture a plate of pasta with an array of colors: green asparagus and peas, yellow sweet peppers and red tomato sauce sprinkled with straw-colored freshly grated Parmesan cheese. This is a dish that can bring some much-needed cheer during this bleak time. Don't worry if you can't find some of the ingredients. Just use what is available.

Springtime signals the peak season for asparagus. I love to use it in dishes that show off its unique flavor. The neutrality of pasta provides a perfect backdrop that allows the delicate, slightly grassy flavored asparagus and sweet baby peas to shine through. In this recipe, bottled tomato sauce is accented by the Mexican chipotle chile pepper, which gives the pasta an Italian Mexican fusion style.

This chipotle tomato sauce adds an unexpected touch of smoky heat thanks to half of a chipotle chile. If you prefer a spicier sauce, go ahead and use a whole chile. Use canned chipotles packed in adobo sauce for the best flavor. You can also use a bit of the adobo sauce to add even more heat, but be careful; these chilies can be very hot. If you don't have access to chipotle or chipotle hot sauce, add a touch of crushed red pepper.

Seared scallops or sliced grilled chicken breasts make this dish a substantial main course. For a pretty presentation serve this in wide, shallow soup bowls. Serve a simple green salad to begin and accompany with a spicy Zinfandel.

Tasty tips

 

--When blanching the vegetables, use a kitchen strainer with a handle to make it easier to lift the vegetables out of the water.

--If you can't find chipotles in adobo, look for chipotle bottled hot sauce and add a few drops to taste. Crushed red pepper is also a good substitute.

--Look for jarred peeled yellow peppers or use a raw yellow pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced.

Pasta with Spring Vegetables and Tomato Sauce

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