Spring Vegetable Ragout with Fresh Pasta recipe add your recipe to finecooking.com
Test Kitchen Approved

Spring Vegetable Ragout with Fresh Pasta

by Allison Ehri Kreitler
One Star Two Stars Three Stars Four Stars Five Stars read reviews (3)

This quick pasta is spring incarnate: fresh baby vegetables and their tender shoots, delicate pasta, and a light, brothy sauce.Serves four.

Quick Vegetarian
ingredient discovery
Ingredients kosher salt garlic black peppercorns more more
Kosher salt
3/4 lb. fresh pasta sheets
1 small clove garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cups mixed spring vegetables (such as medium-thick asparagus, baby carrots, baby turnips, spring onions, and sugar snap peas), trimmed and cut into 1- to 3-inch long by 1/2- to 3/4-inch-wide pieces 
1/2 cup shelled peas or peeled fava beans
1/3 cup loosely packed pea shoots or watercress sprigs; more for garnish
1/4 cup loosely packed chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as basil, chervil, mint, parsley, and/or tarragon; more for garnish
4 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1-1/2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish (optional)
Tip: To peel fava beans, shuck them and cook them in boiling salted water until tender, 1 to 2 minutes, then rinse them with cold water and peel off the skin.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. With a pizza cutter or chef’s knife, cut the pasta sheets into rustic strips about 1/2 inch wide.

In a 10- to 11-inch straight-sided sauté pan, bring 2-1/2 cups water, the garlic, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper to a simmer over high heat. Add the mixed vegetables and simmer briskly, adjusting the heat as necessary, until just crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a large plate. If using peas, simmer them until barely tender, about 2 minutes, and transfer to the plate with the slotted spoon. (If using favas, skip this step.) Raise the heat to high and boil the liquid until reduced to 1 cup, 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water until barely al dente, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain.

Add the cooked pasta, vegetables, favas (if using), pea shoots or watercress, herbs, butter, and lemon zest to the broth. Toss over medium-high heat until the butter is melted, about 1 minute.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with pea shoots or watercress, fresh herbs, and Parmigiano (if using).

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 390; Fat (g): 14; Fat Calories (kcal): 120; Saturated Fat (g): 8; Protein (g): 12; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 3; Carbohydrates (g): 55; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Sodium (mg): 460; Cholesterol (mg): 95; Fiber (g): 6;
photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 98, pp. 7
March 5, 2009

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Star Star Star Star Star by HBaron, 4/20/2010Very Good! I made the ragout with half the butter and served it with grilled salmon instead of the pasta. It was excellent and healthy!
Star Star Star Star Star by TorontoBob, 5/5/2009Outstanding side dish although I did forget the lemon zest. Can't wait to try it again when fresh peas are available - Yum
Star Star Star Star Star by LANN, 3/15/2009I made this the day I got the magazine...It's FANTASTIC!!!!! Even without the herbs (didn't have), and lemon zest (I forgot!) Also I didn't have fresh pasta...just used whole grain angel hair. A keeper! Thank you sooo much!!

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