There’s so much fresh produce around now, all my favourites are coming into season. No. 1: asparagus. Followed by peas (which I will eat MOUNTAINS of fresh from the pod) and broad beans.
What better way is there to celebrate all of this delicious stuff than combining it into a simple, quick pasta dish. It’s perfect for an easy week night meal and there’s not to much messing around with the ingredients so you really let the freshness of them greens take center-stage.
You may have noticed that there’s basil and lemon in there too – not an uncommon pairing on here. I just find it to be such a light, perfect way to lift the flavours without having to get pesto involved. Don’t get me wrong, I love pesto 100%, but it can monopolize the other ingredients in a dish and make it Basil-Olive Oil Central. Whereas I wanted it to be more like a basil-olive oil post-it note, if that makes sense (probably not..).
I also got to use this ADORABLE casarecce pasta! It’s so twirly and the perfect shape for the asparagus and sugar snaps. Of course something like penne or fusilli would work just as well but uhhh would it look as cute?
Ingredients
- 2 cups (200 g) casarecce pasta
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- a small handful of fresh basil leaves , , finely chopped
- Zest and juice of a lemon
- salt for seasoning
- 7 oz (200 g) asparagus (bend each stalk until it snaps to remove the woody ends)
- 7 oz (200 g) sugar snap peas
- 4 oz (110 g) ricotta cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot of well-salted, boiling water cook the pasta until al-dente (according to the directions on the packet). Drain the pasta, return it to the pot and toss with the olive oil, chopped basil, lemon zest and half of the lemon juice. Season with salt, to taste. Discard the remaining lemon juice and set the pasta aside.
- In a griddle pan, cook the asparagus spears over a high heat for a few minutes - turning them over using kitchen tongs - until tender and slightly charred. Thinly slice the sugar snap peas length-ways into strips.
- In a large serving bowl, arrange the pasta, grilled asparagus and sliced sugar snap peas. Dot with spoonfuls of the ricotta cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Simple, spring perfection!
exactly, thanks Mimi!
I loooove the looks of this! So simple and pretty too! 🙂
thanks Katrina!
That looks awesome! I have to say, that measuring cup is so cute. And basil and lemon is definitely a combination I’ll have to try somewhere along the line…
Thanks June! I looove the measuring cup, it’s from West Elm 🙂 Oooh please do try it, it’s effing awesome
This looks to die for, Izy! I just love simple, healthy, honest-to-goodness recipes, that I can whip up and take to uni with me! Can’t wait to try this!
I love this type of pasta dishes, Izy. So refreshing and simple and quick to make. I have been devouring asparagus too this past month… I love spring vegetables!
Good luck on your exams!
I am totally crushing on this recipe! Too bad summer is over in Aussie but I look forward to see how the warmmer weather inspires you.
I love anything with asparagus and this recipe is looking really delicious! Good luck studying for your exams!
whoa, girl, your exams sound intense! i feel so old saying this but i actually forgot how crazy pants the end of high school was! it’ll all be over soon (…is the best advice i can think of this early on a sunday?) but luckily you live in a magical land where it’s legal to have a long island ice tea after your exams 🙂
and produce! oh heavens i am so jealous of your delicious looking veggies. it’s still parka weather here…
I love the simplicity of this as it is so easy to go overboard sometimes with ingredients. I bet this would taste amazing with homemade ricotta. Gorgeous! Good luck on all your exams!
A good book club meal I think!
This looks fabulous. Though, I’m not sure it is really accurate to call our trip to The Fable as *brunch*!
Gorgeous. I love it when the asparagus is in season. I eat it on everything. Good luck with your exams, afterwards you’ll have to celebrate with cake and cocktails.
Swoon!
Spring vegetables are my favourites and asparagus.. I can’t get enough of it! I might make this for my boyfriend who is very very picky so if it goes down well with him (which I’m sure it will with all these delicious combinations) I’ll put it in my recipe book xxx
La Lingua : Food, Life, Love, Friends, Travel, Italy
Looks so yum! Do you grow all your veg on an allotment or do you have any preferred fresh produce markets around the southwest London area? (Or supermarkets, but I would love any food market reccomendation!)
Dear god, this is gorgeous. Your photos are the best. Seriously, the best. And I love you plate.
Good luck on the exams!
*Oops I mean I love your plates. Sorry! 😉
What an amazing pasta dish, especially with my favorite, asparagus. Such beautiful pictures too. I am imagining this
on a warm summer night. So perfect, thanks!
Ooo this is beautiful! So bright and springy! And I do loooove that pasta. The right pasta shape certainly does make the dish taste different. It’s a real thing.
I bet these flavors are perfect with some crumbly bacon… Yum!
Loving the fresh sound of this! And since it’s FINALLY getting warm in london I think this means many more picnics – so this seems perfect!
Ps. Good luck with your exams! Mine start this week too 😮
Izzy that looks delicious!!
I love asparagus, so I definitely don’t need a reason to gobble this up.
{Teffy’s Perks} X
Love a simple dish that allows the already perfect flavor fresh asparagus to shine through. I have some ewe cream cheese (randomly included by our CSA last week) and some purple heirloom asparagus that I might try using with this recipe. Looking forward to your cocktail post.
This dish is beautiful! And so perfect for summer. I’m going to try making this for company sometime soon. It’s so pretty. (And you’re right, that pasta is adorable. They must not sell it in the US!)
Pinning!
I could be wrong, but I think you just turned 21. I’m so blown away by your sophisticated taste in cocktails at such a young age! If I could go back and eliminate all the cheap amaretto sours in my early 20s, I would. Stay classy, chick! 🙂
Love this pasta dish!
Oh my goodness. Just stumbled across your blog and I LOVE it! Your photos are absolutely stunning.
Trish
This looks so fresh and delicious. I’m sure it would make a perfect weeknight meal!
Anything with asparagus and snap peas draws me in. I actually just made The Smitten Kitchen’s ricotta sugar snap pea pasta and it was delicious! This looks amazing too.
I blogged about a dish so similar to this a couple of days ago and it was absolutely delicious. So fresh-tasting and perfect for spring. Love the way you let the veggies take centre stage in your dish, and of course beautiful photos as ever.
I love your little beaker measuring cups. They are super cute! Where did you get them?
West Elm!! 🙂
What a beautiful dish! Good luck on school!
Great recipe! I must to try it, thanks!
This looks absolutely incredible – the colors! the cute pastas! the cheese! And I just love your photo styling. Two thumbs up for everything in this post!