Signs of spring have started, slowly, to appear in the kitchen. This week I picked up a bunch of the first British asparagus and some buttery new potatoes. We ate them in a simple pasta dish that’s so easy, I feel a bit of a fraud calling it a recipe. Potatoes, asparagus, and good old frozen peas are cooked in the water alongside the pasta, then the lot is tossed in a no-cook sauce of crème fraiche, lemon zest, cheese and mint. It was a 15-minute dinner that tasted of the promise of warmer days.
As with the ingredients in my kitchen, I’ve felt something of a shift over the past few weeks. Maybe it’s the fact I’m now reaching the halfway point of maternity leave, or that my son seems to be flying past milestones and looking suspiciously less baby-like by the day.
Like so much of motherhood – as I’m discovering – the minute I feel I’ve ‘mastered’ one phase and got into a groove, things seem to change. While I’m craving more of my own space and time, I’m also afraid to leave the baby bubble. As my thoughts turn to what going back to work might look like, I’m realising that while looking after a baby full time is hard, relentless, and mind-numbing at times, it’s much simpler than the idea of juggling my ‘old’ responsibilities with these very demanding new ones.
One thing that will always remain a constant, though, is pasta. I’ve eaten so much of it over the last few months it’s practically my primary food group. It’s what I make when I’m starving, angry, sad or happy. Pasta never lets you down.
So in the sprit of my love affair with it, this week I’ve also shared some of my favourite quick pasta recipes. No matter what the day’s thrown at me, a plate of spaghetti will never fail to soothe.
15-minute, one-pan spring pasta
If the idea of pasta and potatoes freaks you out, feel free to skip the spuds, although I do urge you to give them a go – the potatoes help make the pasta water extra-starchy, which works to thicken the sauce. Double carbs are never a bad thing in my book.
Serves 3, or 2 with leftovers
100g new potatoes, cut into 3cm chunks
4 tbsp crème fraiche
Zest of 1 lemon
100g cheese – such as parmesan, cheddar or a mix of both, grated
3 sprigs mint, finely chopped, stalks removed
200g pasta
1 bunch (approx. 250g) asparagus, woody stalks removed, cut into 3cm pieces
200g pasta
A large handful frozen peas
Bring a large pan of generously salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until just starting to become tender.
Meanwhile, combine the crème fraiche, lemon zest, cheese and mint with salt and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
Add the pasta to the potatoes and cook for a further 6-7 minutes, or until the pasta is almost done but still has a bit of bite. Add the asparagus and cook for a further 2 minutes, then finally the frozen peas, cooking for a further 1 minute.
Drain, reserving a cupful of the pasta cooking water. Return to the pan and toss with the creme fraiche mixture, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen slightly if needed, tossing until you have a glossy sauce. Serve with more parmesan.
Switch it up
- Use any tender veggies, such as green beans or broccoli, instead of the asparagus.
Use it up
- Save the asparagus ends and parmesan rind to use in a risotto
More quick pasta ideas
Marmite spaghetti
Sweat a large, finely sliced onion in a little butter and olive oil for 15 minutes, until deeply golden brown. Meanwhile, cook 250g spaghetti in a pan of salted boiling water. Add 1 tbsp butter and 3 tsp Marmite to the pan with the onions and cook until the butter has melted. Toss in the cooked pasta and a little pasta cooking water. Serve with Parmesan on top. Serves 2.
Beans and greens
Sauté a finely chopped leek in a little butter until softened before adding two finely chopped cloves of garlic and a pinch of chilli flakes and cooking for a minute more. Add a tin of cannellini beans, including the water, and a veg stock cube. Simmer for 3 minutes before adding 200g penne and enough boiling water to cover. Cover then cook until the pasta is al dente, adding a splash more water if needed. Add a big handful of shredded kale or cavolo nero for the last 3 minutes. Serves 2.
Easiest ever tomato
Sauté three sliced garlic cloves in a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil. Add a tin of chopped tomatoes and simmer while you cook 250g spaghetti in a pan of salted boiling water. Toss the pasta in the sauce along with 1 tbsp butter.
PS This week I’m loving…
Medjool dates, opened and filled with a spoonful of peanut butter and sprinkled with sea salt. Tastes like a healthier version of a Snickers.