Tagliarini Primavera

This sauce cooks very quickly. Have all the vegetables cut and ingredients measured and ready to go before you start.
Tagliarini is a narrow ribbon-like pasta made of egg dough. Tagliatelle is wider. If you can't find either in a local market,
use linguini or fettucini. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Double ingredients to double the number of servings.

Step 1: Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta to water and cook according to package instructions. Try to time the pasta so it is al dente at the same time the vegetable sauce is ready.

Step 2: Cut asparagus spears diagonally into 1-inch segments, leaving tips whole.

Step 3: In a wide sauce pan over medium-high heat melt butter. Add mushrooms, prosciutto, asparagus, carrot and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, for three minutes. Cover pan and cook for 1 more minute.

Step 4: Add green onions, peas, basil, salt nutmeg, pepper and cream. Increase heat to high and cook until liquid boils all over and forms large shiny bubbles. Remove from heat.

Step 5: Drain the pasta and return to the pot in which they were cooked. Pour vegetable sauce over the pasta, lift and mix gently so noodles are throughly coated. Add the ¼ cup of Parmesan mix again.

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound asparagus
  • ½ cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 8 ounce package of tagliarini or tagliatelle
  • ¼ cup slivered prosciutto
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 medium-size carrot, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium-size zucchini, diced
  • 3 green onions (including tops) sliced
  • ½ cup frozen tiny peas, thawed
  • 1 teaspoon dry basil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • additional fresh grated Parmesan at the table
  • ½ pint whipping cream
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • fresh Italian parsley leaves for garnish
  • dash each of ground nutmeg and white pepper

Step 5: Turn into a warm serving bowl, spinkle with parsley, and serve at once with additional Parmesan at the table.