Fusilli Primavera
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
8 oz. asparagus, peeled and cut
into 1-in. lengths
4 oz. haricots verts (French
green beans), trimmed
and cut into 1-in. lengths
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 cup boiling water
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 bunch scallions, chopped
(about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen English peas, thawed
3 ⁄ 4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 lb. uncooked dried fusilli pasta
1 ⁄ 2 cup loosely packed fresh basil
leaves, thinly sliced
2 oz. Grana Padano or Parmesan
cheese, grated (about^1 ⁄ 2 cup)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to
a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, heat a
large skillet over medium high, and
add olive oil. When oil is hot, add garlic;
cook until sizzling, about 1 minute. Add
asparagus and green beans. Season
with^1 ⁄ 2 tea spoon salt. Add 1 cup
boiling water, cover skillet, and cook
until vegetables are tender-crisp,
2 to 3 minutes.
- Uncover skillet, add grape tomatoes,
and cook, uncovered, until tomatoes
begin to wrinkle, 3 to 4 minutes. Add
scallions, peas and cream. Simmer,
uncovered, until liquid is reduced by
half, about 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add fusilli to boiling water,
and cook until just al dente, 11 to 12 min-
utes. Drain, reserving^1 ⁄ 3 cup cooking
water. Transfer pasta to skillet, sprinkle
with basil, and toss to coat, adding
cooking water if the sauce seems dry.
- Remove skillet from heat. Season
with remaining^1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon salt and
toss. Sprinkle with grated cheese and
serve immediately.
Serves: 6 Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Choose the Best
Dried Pasta
When looking at pasta in
the package, make sure it
isn’t broken or chipped,
doesn’t look dusty with
flour or have white spots—
all those things mean the
pasta is old and has been
sitting on the shelf for a
long time. Look for pasta
with a golden-yellow color
and a rough texture.
Sauce doesn’t stick to
shiny pastas very well.
—Lidia Bastianich,
author of Felidia:
Recipes from My
Flagship Restaurant
Add^ che
ese
at^ the^ l
ast^
moment
so^
the^ heat
won’t^ co
ok
out^ the
flavor,^ s
ays
Bastiani
ch
Peel Garlic Faster
I like to throw whole, unpeeled garlic
cloves into the microwave for 10 seconds.
It makes the peels slip right off. This
blanching method is also a great way to
reduce the harsh flavor of raw garlic in
uncooked recipes, like salsas, salad
dressings, chimichurri and guacamole.
—Lorena Garcia, executive
chef and partner of Chica in
Miami and Las Vegas
Simplify Your
Kitchen Tool Kit
If you don’t have a fish spatula, get
one immediately—it’s my favorite.
It has a thin, almost-sharp edge, so
it’s great for flipping, stirring, cutting
and getting that first brownie or
piece of lasagna out of the pan.
—Ted Allen, host of Food
Network’s Chopped
76 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: DIANA DELUCIA; JOHN LAMPARSKI/GETTY IMAGES; ISTOCKPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES(2); MINDY SMALL/FILMMAGIC
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