Pasta Primavera – an Unlimited Feast

Stuck on what’s for dinner? You can’t go wrong with a bunch of pasta, some veggies and whatever is lying around the pantry.

During the holidays, our brother and sister-in-law stopped over for a night on their way back home from Manhattan. Promising to make dinner, Julie stopped off at Dean and DeLuca’s, last minute, and picked up some pasta and a variety of savories from the deli – two different kinds of marinated artichokes and sundried tomatoes. She sautéed them with (I kid you not) almost a dozen cloves of garlic and an onion – very slowly, to soften and caramelize the veggies. She tossed them with angel hair pasta and Parmesan cheese and sprinkled the dish with parsley. Simple and fantastic.

Julie started me on a kick of cooking pasta with veggies – pasta primavera is really an unlimited opportunity. Keep your pantry stocked with cool stuff from the grocery aisles like marinated artichokes, sundried tomatoes, olives, capers, and whatever strikes your fancy. And don’t be afraid of garlic.

Spaghetti with Two Cabbages and Sweet Red Peppers
1/8 lb bacon, finely chopped
1 purple Bermuda onion, thinly sliced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ red cabbage, thinly sliced
½ green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ dry white wine
1 lb. whole grain spaghetti
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

Set a bug pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. In a large skillet, sauté bacon, onion, red pepper flakes and garlic in a bit of olive oil, until the bacon is well cooked and the onions begin to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes. Add the cabbage, red pepper, sugar, vinegar and wine. Toss well and cover for about 5 minutes. Uncover, stir and repeat 1-2 times, until cabbage softens and liquid evaporates. When liquid is evaporated, uncover and sauté cabbage (make sure there is still enough oil) until it is crisp-tender to your liking. Salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti until al-dente. Drain, reserving about a cup of the cooking water. Toss spaghetti together with the cabbage in a large bowl. Add a bit of the water if too dry. Top with parsley.


Farfalle with Broccoli Rabé, Clams and Gorgonzola
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, sliced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp diced sun dried tomatoes
1 8-oz can diced clams, undrained
1 large bunch broccoli rabé, trimmed of thick stalk ends, and cut in half lengthwise
1 lb Farfalle pasta
¼ lb gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Set a pot of salted water to boil. Heat a skillet and sauté the onion in a bit of olive oil until softened, about 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking another 3-5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, sundried tomatoes, clams and the broccoli rabé. Cook only until the broccoli rabé is crisp-tender, about 5 more minutes.

Meanwhile cook the Farfalle in the water, just until al-dente. In a large serving bowl, gently toss together the Farfalle, broccoli-clam mixture and the cheese.


Fettuccine with Swiss Chard, Ham and Sundried Tomatoes
¼ lb boneless ham steak, cut into ¼-inch cubes
1 onion, diced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped, washed and drained
½ cup dry white wine
1 lb. fettuccine
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

Set a bug pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. In a large skillet, sauté ham, onion, red pepper flakes and garlic in a bit of olive oil, until the ham is well cooked and the onions begin to soften, about 5-8minutes. Add the garlic and sundried tomatoes and cook another 3-5 minutes, until the onion begins to caramelize. Add the Swiss chard and the wine and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook about 10 minutes, stirring once in a while, until the Swiss chard softens to your liking.

Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine in the salted water just until al dente. Drain, reserving about a cup of the cooking water. Toss fettuccine together with the Swiss chard in a large bowl. Add a bit of the water if too dry. Top with parsley.