Springy Lemon Pasta with Peas and Crispy Breadcrumbs

I love spring. It brings me so much joy when all of the green things start to pop up at the grocery store and farmers markets, and I get this warm tingly feeling that makes me want to cook EVERYTHING. I start daydreaming about dinner parties, and eating outside, and all of the glorious things that come with warmer weather and longer days. It just makes me super happy.I also love lemon, so this is pasta basically cannot get any better in my book. The lemon keeps the cream sauce nice and bright so it doesn’t feel heavy - you get just enough to coat the noodles for a perfectly lemony buttery bite. But, it's also not so lemony that its obnoxious. I've had people who are distinct lemon haters really like this dish.The basil was also a surprisingly nice addition - it adds a sweetness that you can’t really get with anything else. I kept my basil leaves whole, but you can also chop them finely. You could also switch out/ add lots of other veggies - asparagus, leeks, mushrooms (morels!!!) would all be delicious additions.  

Lemon Pasta with Spring Vegetables and Crispy Breadcrumbs

Adapted from Greens Restaurant! Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 lemons
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper
• 1 ½ cups frozen peas
• ¾ pound sugar snap peas, tough ends removed
• Olive oil
• 2 large shallots, diced (can sub for onion if you want)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup white wine
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• ⅓ cup basil leaves
• 1 lb of fresh pasta
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• ½ cup grated parmesan
• 1 tsp chopped thyme

Method:

• Peel one of the lemons and add the peels to a small saucepan with the cream and a bit of salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat (be careful not to boil!) for about 30 minutes until the cream has infused. Strain and set aside.
• Put a pot of water onto boil. Add enough salt that the water tastes like the sea. (Thanks Samin!)
• Zest the other two lemons into a small bowl and then add enough juice to get you to ¼ cup. Set aside.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add your sugar snap peas and cook just a couple of minutes until the peas have turned bright green, but still have some crunch. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Defrost your frozen peas covering with water and microwaving for about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• In the same saute pan you used for the peas, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and saute the shallots and garlic with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat (the lower/slower you go, the sweeter your garlic and onions get) until the shallots and garlic have softened, and then add your wine to deglaze the pan. Once the wine has reduced, turn off the heat.
• Time to make your breadcrumbs! In a small saute pan, add your breadcrumbs with a little olive oil, chopped thyme, salt and pepper, and ¼ cup of your grated parmesan. Stir until the bread crumbs are coated and everything starts to smell delicious! Add a bit more olive oil to help the breadcrumbs crisp up if they need it. Set aside.
• Time to cook the pasta! If you’re using fresh, this will only take a few moments. Add a little bit of oil to the water so the pasta doesn’t stick and then cook the pasta until tender (about 3 minutes). Drain the pasta into a colander, saving about ½ cup of the pasta water.
• Back in the saute pan that has the shallot/garlic mixture, add the infused cream, your lemon juice, lemon zest, the pasta water, and salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for a minute until everything comes together. Add in your cooked pasta. Toss, and then add in your snap peas and defrosted frozen peas. Top with the rest of your grated parmesan, the breadcrumbs, chopped herbs, and basil leaves!