All Green Primavera

“Houston, this is Roman-1... you’re not going to believe this. It appears that this planet is made entirely of Romanesco!”

As our astronaut has discovered while stepping over its distinctive green fractals, Romanesco is truly out of this world. This Italian heirloom was once grown exclusively near Rome, but thankfully is now available galaxywide.

Today’s recipe is a down-to-Earth farfalle primavera that will make you feel at home no matter where you are. I love to top this primavera with an arugula salad tossed with a lemon vinaigrette, cashew parmesan and basil leaves for added flavor and texture.

If you are feeling ambitious, you may make some homemade farfalle from flour + water + time + love. You can also make it an Italian themed night and settle in for dinner and a movie (I suggest Martin Eden), suitable for a socially distanced evening with friends, or an interstellar excursion with comrades.

All Green Primavera

Make the farfalle – Cook the farfalle according to the manufacturers instructions, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water.

While the farfalle is cooking, sauté the vegetables – In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil. Add the leek and cook until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, romanesco, zucchini slices, and peas. Sauté for a few minutes. Add the white wine and cook for a few more minutes. Add the asparagus, green zebra tomatoes, lemon zest, and the reserved pasta cooking water. Turn the heat to high, add the cooked farfalle and cook until the sauce thickens.

Serve topped with the arugula salad, cashew parmesan and basil leaves.

serves 4

GREEN PRIMAVERA

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 medium leek, thinly sliced
  • 7 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 cups Romanesco,  broken into small florets
  • 1 zucchini, thinly sliced into half moon pieces
  • ¾ cup fresh peas
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 10 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 2″ pieces
  • 2 medium green zebra tomatoes, diced
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 lb farfalle, homemade if possible

ARUGULA SALAD

  • 2 cups wild arugula
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

GARNISH

  • cashew parmesan
  • fresh basil leaves