I’ve really been enjoying the thriving spring produce at the farmer’s markets. I’ve been going weekly to the market for the last month and am so pumped to be eating fresh peas, broccolini and asparagus. YAY! I figured I’d indulge a bit and make a bit of a fettuccine alfredo but with lots of spring veggies, you know, for balance!

I think the part I love most about this dish is how fresh the veggies taste. I recommend blanching them or roasting them to ensure that nice crunch. I was going for super bright and fresh so I blanched them in salted water.

Spring Veggie Fettuccine Alfredo

For a fresh tasting pasta, blanch your vegetables before. It'll ensure that this veggie fettuccine alfredo tastes like spring. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of Fresh Tastes)

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• Handful of combination of broccolini, fresh peas and chopped asparagus 
• 1 pound of fettuccine pasta or other pasta
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 
• 1/2 cup pasta water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan-Reggiano
• Freshly ground pepper
• Zest from 1 lemon

Directions

1. Prep an ice bath for the veggies. I like to combine a few handfuls of ice and about 2 cups of water. 
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Drop the veggies into the water and cook for about 1 minute, until very bright in color. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice bath. From the ice bath, place them onto a bed of clean kitchen towels. 
3. Bring the salted water back up to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the 1/2 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta. 
4. To a medium pot (you could even use the one you just cooked the pasta in), add the butter, pasta water and heavy cream. Turn the heat to medium, and warm until the butter has melted. Bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer. Add the grated Parmesan-Reggiano, a few pinches of salt, about 10 rounds of black pepper and zest from 1 lemon. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pasta and toss in the sauce. Next, add the reserved veggies and toss one last time. Give it a taste and add salt according to taste. 
5. To serve, divide amongst plates and top with more Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper. 

Yield: 4

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.