Pasta Primavera with Goat Cheese


This is my version of pasta primavera.  Spring vegetables with goat cheese over pasta, a great way to enjoy the bounty from your farmer's market or your own backyard.  Hopefully soon.  Here is my little edible garden:


Lots of zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers, peas, beans and lettuce starting off nicely.  Tomatoes and herbs are grown separately this year:


Now, onto the recipe:


Everything you see in the photo, plus I forgot the green onions.

Pasta (a good kind with nice texture)
2-3T olive oil
1 C White Wine
3 cloves garlic
bunch of green onions/scallions
2 small zucchini
1 bunch asparagus
1 C baby peas (frozen used here, someday fresh from the garden!)
1 C goat cheese
parsley
salt & peper
optional: sweet italian chicken or turkey sausage

1.  Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add salt and pasta.  I use good pasta instead of the basic for a dish like this that really showcases the pasta.  I consider a "good" pasta to be one that has some texture (made from older equipment, the modern, mass produced ones are very smooth) to hold the sauce.

(optional) remove sausage from casings and cook in a separate small pan coated with pam, crumbling it as you go.

2.  Meanwhile chop your green onions on the diagonal.  Reserve the green parts and add the whites to a hot pan coated with olive oil on med/hi.  Saute until soft and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.

3.  While the onions cook, chop up the garlic (smallest dice possible), zucchini (discs) and asparagus(cut off ends and chop on the diagonal in 2-3 pieces per stalk).  Rinse the frozen peas in water so they start to defrost and set aside.


4.  Add the garlic to the pan and cook about 30 seconds.  Add the zucchini, spreading them out so you can sear each side about 2-3 minutes over med/hi.  Season with salt & pepper.


5. Add the asparagus (and a little more S & P) and cook about 2 minutes more and add the white wine.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat to maintain a simmer until the wine is reduced in half.



6.  Add peas and stir until they are warmed up.  Now combine 1/2 C of goat cheese, parsley, pasta & veggie mix (and cooked sausage, if using).  The goat cheese mixes with the white wine to make a nice little sauce. Plate, using the remaining goat cheese crumbles and green parts of onions for garnish.

7.  Deconstructed version for my kids (chicken sausage, veggies & pasta with parm - and some strawberries):


Enjoy!

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