I love a spring pasta, especially one with peas and asparagus in it. I've been adding peas into most of my pasta dishes year-round and love the pop of color and sweetness they bring to a dish. Asparagus is beginning to come into season, and I love the light crunch that it brings to a dish. This is the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal. 

Serves 4

You will need:

2 tbsp butter

2 shallots minced

3 cloves garlic minced

¾ cup chicken stock 

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 lb bucatini pasta, or your favorite pasta of your choice 

juice of 1 lemon 

½ bag frozen peas

1 bunch asparagus (end trimmed, thinly slice the stalks)

Lemon zest, pecorino, red pepper flakes for serving

Cook the bucatini or pasta of your choice to al dente according to package directions.

Melt butter over medium heat. Add asparagus and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and bright green. You’ll simmer the asparagus a bit longer in the sauce, so it’s okay if it’s still a little firm.

Next, add your garlic and shallots and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. 

Add stock and heavy cream; bring to a low simmer. Once it thickens into more of a sauce, add in the frozen peas for the final few minutes of cooking. Season with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. 

Toss the sauce with the pasta; keep it all over low heat for a few minutes so the pasta and the sauce really come together. If it feels too thick, you can add in a bit of pasta water to thin it out and help it emulsify. Top with lots and lots of breadcrumbs, and fresh grated cheese. If you like a little bit of heat, sprinkle on a few chili flakes as well. 

Enjoy this warmer weather and the beginning of Spring this month!