Pasta with Herb Purée and Vegetables
4

Serves 6

A medley of herbs combine to make an intense green purée. A touch of butter and Parmesan soften the vivid herbal flavors and vegetables round out the dish. If you have leftover herb purée, toss it with cooked shrimp or chicken.

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    Ingredients: 
    • Herb Purée
    • 2 cups flat-leaf parsley
    • 1 small bunch chives
    • 1 cup mint
    • 6 large basil leaves
    • 1/3 cup tarragon
    • 1/3 cup olive oil
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
    • Vegetables and Pasta
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
    • 2 large carrots, cut into 1-inch matchsticks
    • 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
    • 1 cup small broccoli florets
    • 1 cup sugar snap peas, halved
    • 1/2 cup shelled green peas
    • 1 (18 ounce) package penne rigate or conchiglie pasta
    • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
    • 1 piece (5-ounce) Parmesan cheese
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    Method: 

    For the herb purée, place parsley, chives, mint, basil, tarragon, oil, salt, pepper and 3 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides several times. Add more water if needed until purée drips easily from a spoon. The purée will taste very fresh and intense. Strain, if desired, pressing purée through a sieve lightly with the back of a spoon. Set aside.

    For the vegetables and pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until just tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer carrots to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Repeat process with asparagus, broccoli, sugar snap peas, and green peas. Drain all vegetables thoroughly and set aside. Reserve vegetable cooking water.

    Bring vegetable cooking liquid to a rapid boil. Stir in pasta and cook until tender but firm. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

    Reheat all vegetables over a steamer or in the microwave. Toss drained pasta with butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water if the pasta looks dry. Remove from heat, add vegetables and toss well to combine. Top with shavings of cheese, drizzle with 1 or 2 tablespoons of the herb purée, and serve immediately.

    Nutritional Info: 
    Per Serving:470 calories (230 from fat), 26g total fat, 11g saturated fat, 35mg cholesterol, 610mg sodium, 42g carbohydrate (8g dietary fiber, 5g sugar), 19g protein
    Special Diets: 

    Note: We've provided special diet and nutritional information for educational purposes. But remember — we're cooks, not doctors! You should follow the advice of your health-care provider. And since product formulations change, check product labels for the most recent ingredient information. See our Terms of Service.

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