Spring Farmers Market Pasta
One of my favorite signs of spring is when our local farmers market opens. Wandering the stalls looking for fresh produce and fruit is the perfect inspiration for a meal planning any given week. This dish is simple to make and you can easily substitute the zucchini and peas for other vegetables you might find at your farmers market.
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1lb of pasta (see Katie’s homemade pasta recipe or use fettucini or spaghetti)
- 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 cloves of garlic minced or finely chopped, or Spring Garlic chopped if available
- Zest of 1-2 lemons (I prefer meyer lemons for their sweetness)
- 2 medium to large zucchini thinly sliced, julienned or shredded
- 1 cup of fresh peas such as english peas
- 1/4 cup of Italian parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup of fresh mint chopped
- 1 cup of ricotta cheese, at room temperature
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place a large pot of salted water over high heat. When the water is at a rolling boil add the pasta and cook according to directions.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the garlic and sauté until golden, about 1 minute.
- Add the zucchini, peas, and half the lemon zest to the pan, stirring and cooking until tender (about 2-3 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
- Reserve some of the pasta water and then drain the pasta. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the pasta so it doesn’t stick, then add the pasta to the zucchini and peas, and toss with parsley and mint.
- Spoon the ricotta cheese into the pasta dish, adding small amounts of the pasta water to loosen the cheese.
- Sprinkle the remaining lemon zest over the pasta and lightly toss. Serve immediately.