Pasta Primavera

                                                                     

 An honest declaration upfront! This is a seriously rich recipe. There is no hiding the fact. Scroll down the list of ingredients and there you have it....butter, cream and cheese! But that apart, this is a classic pasta recipe and if it does have a few extra calories, so what!?! One can indulge once in a while. Right??                                        

Well, that is what I told myself when I made it recently on my wedding anniversary. A special occasion calls for a special recipe, what say?


                                                                             

                                                             
Ingredients: 

2 cups pasta ( boiled, al dente)                                                  
1 cup cream
1 cup blanched cauliflower, carrots, french beans
1/2 cup capsicum, cubed
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
50 gms butter
Salt, pepper, oregano as per taste
Chilli flakes ( optional)
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped

Method:    Cut capsicum into cubes. Chop garlic. Put water to boil and add salt to it.  Drop in the pasta when water starts boiling. Let the pasta cook till it is almost but not completely soft. Drain and add little oil to prevent pasta from sticking together. Cut cauliflower into florets.  Cut carrots and french beans into small pieces.  Put the cauliflower, carrots and french beans in boiling water for a couple of minutes, take out and refresh in cold water. Drain water and  keep aside.  

In a  heavy bottom pan put butter and add garlic.  Stir for a little while until garlic is cooked but not browned. Add the blanched vegetables ie cauliflower, carrots and french beans.  Also add the capsicum. Stir for a minute and then add the cream and cheese.  Lower flame and let it cook for awhile.  Add the boiled pasta and season with salt, pepper, oregano and chilli flakes ( optional). Cook till sauce like consistency is reached. Serve hot.

If you find the consistency is too thick you can add a little  milk to dilute it.  If you like you can also add chicken to the pasta.  Add  boneless chicken, cut in cubes, just after you add the garlic and stir fry till chicken is cooked and then proceed with rest of the recipe.  Or you could boil chicken pieces, discard bones and add.