Spring Pasta Primavera with Asparagus, Sugar Snap Peas and Culatello

Creamy Spring Pasta Primavera

Cooking the spring alliums gently builds sweetness, while adding the asparagus and snap peas late preserves their color and bite. Cream, Parmesan and a little pasta water make a coating sauce rather than a heavy pool.

Ingredients

• 12 oz gluten-free Banza chickpea rotini
• 1 lb asparagus, woody ends removed, stems cut into 1/2-inch pieces and tips left slightly longer
• 8 oz sugar snap peas, strings removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 stalks green garlic, tender white and pale-green portions thinly sliced
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced, white and green portions separated
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it moderately; the Parmesan and culatello will supply additional salt. Have all the vegetables cut before adding the pasta.
2. Heat the ghee in a wide, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the green garlic and spring onion whites with a small pinch of salt. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until softened and fragrant without browning.
3. Add the asparagus and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, then add the snap peas and cook uncovered for another 1–2 minutes. The vegetables should be bright green and still slightly firm.
4. Meanwhile, cook the rotini according to the package directions, tasting early and draining when just al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water before draining; do not rinse.
5. Add the cream and spring onion greens to the skillet. Simmer gently for 1 minute, then add the drained pasta and 1/4 cup reserved cooking water. Toss over low heat for 30–60 seconds, until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually fold in the Parmesan, loosening with reserved cooking water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce lightly coats the spirals. Fold in the lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley.
7. Taste for salt, pepper and acidity. Leave the sauce slightly looser than the final consistency you want, since the pasta will continue to absorb it. Serve immediately with the culatello.

Notes

• Chickpea pasta can soften quickly; avoid prolonged simmering after it is drained. If its cooking water is very thick, loosen the sauce with hot plain water instead.
• For mature green garlic, remove any tough outer layers and use only the tender portions.

Paper-Thin Culatello

Adding the cured pork after cooking keeps its delicate texture intact. The warmth of the pasta softens the fat without making the slices tough or overly salty.

Ingredients

• 4 oz gluten-free culatello, sliced paper-thin

Instructions

1. Take the culatello out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving, keeping it loosely covered.
2. Carefully separate the slices, tearing very large pieces into broad ribbons. Drape loosely over the plated pasta rather than stirring into the hot sauce.

Notes

• Ask the deli to separate very thin slices with paper so they can be lifted without clumping.

Overall Timing / Workflow

Preparing everything before boiling the pasta allows the vegetables and sauce to finish together, with no need to hold the delicate pasta.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Put the pasta water on to boil. Trim and cut the vegetables, grate the cheese, and prepare the lemon and parsley.
2. 0:15 — Set out the culatello, loosely covered. Begin softening the green garlic and spring onion whites.
3. 0:20 — Start the pasta, adjusting to its package cooking time. Add the asparagus and then the snap peas to the skillet.
4. 0:25 — Add the cream, reserve pasta water and drain the rotini as soon as it is al dente.
5. 0:30 — Toss the pasta with the vegetables, finish off heat with Parmesan, lemon and parsley, then plate and add the culatello.

Plating

Wide, shallow bowls show the green vegetables around the pasta while supporting a loose, generous layer of culatello.

Instructions

1. Divide the pasta and vegetables among four warm, shallow bowls, distributing the asparagus tips and snap peas evenly.
2. Spoon any remaining sauce over the pasta. Drape the culatello in loose folds across the center, leaving vegetables visible around the edges.
3. Serve immediately, while the sauce is fluid and the culatello is just beginning to soften.

Leftover Path

Keeping the cured meat separate lets the pasta reheat gently without cooking the culatello.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftover pasta in an airtight container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Store any unused culatello separately and follow its package storage guidance.
2. Reheat the pasta in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water, stirring gently until hot throughout. Add a little more water if the sauce tightens.
3. Remove from the heat and top with the reserved culatello. Expect the pasta and vegetables to be softer than when freshly cooked.