Supper Club: Baked pasta primavera

This primavera pasta is a celebration of all the best spring produce, vibrantly green and inviting. The pasta boils away while the veggies and sauce work their magic in the oven. Then everything joins together and is blanketed in a cream sauce that feels like putting on a light jacket on a spring day: it does just what you need it to, no more, no less. With hints of white wine, fresh mint, and lemon, this sauce lets the bounty of veggies be the star.

Baked pasta primavera
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 bunch Broccolini, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 bunch thick asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Red pepper flakes
• 1 pound farfalle pasta
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Place the olive oil in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and swirl the dish around to fully coat the bottom. Set the block of cream cheese in the center of the baking dish, then pour in the wine and broth. Arrange the Broccolini, asparagus, and shallot around the cream cheese. Season the veggies with salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes.
3. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the veggies are crisp-tender and the cream cheese is meltingly soft. Remove from the oven and discard the foil.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the farfalle and cook until just shy of al dente according to the package directions. About 1 minute before the farfalle is done, add the peas and let them finish cooking together. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and peas.
5. Use tongs to toss the veggies and cream cheese together. Add the drained pasta and peas to the baking dish, along with the Parmesan. Toss everything together, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water as needed to help the sauce come together.
6. Mix in the mint and the lemon zest and juice. Finish with a few cracks of black pepper and another pinch of pepper flakes. Serve.

Reprinted with permission from Let’s Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart & Home by Dan Pelosi © 2023. Published by Union Square & Co. Photography © Andrew Bui.