Pasta Primavera is not Italian. It was created in the 70’s by the owner of Le Cirque in New York.
I have fond memories of Pasta Primavera. I landed my first job, along with its measly salary, as an Art Director many years ago. Across the street from our office was a nice Italian restaurant. Whenever our budgets would allow, a group of us would splurge and go for lunch there. We always had Pasta Primavera, fresh bread and a glass of wine. We often sat outside or by the big open windows gazing at the passerby’s along the quaint area of Irving Place.
So, out of nostalgia, I ordered Pasta Primavera again. This time at a bustling restaurant known for it’s bar crowd. Clearly, they were not there for the food. It was awful. A heaping bowl of pasta with a few measly peas and perhaps a slice of carrot was set before me. The pasta was practically floating in soupy, pink cream sauce. On top, sat a hunk of grilled chicken breast as chewy as a rubber tire. Where were the vegetables of spring? Where was the love?
I set out to my local whole foods. My goal, rather that to recreate a dish, was to make my own version of Primavera using whatever I could find. These days, thanks to Alice Waters, we are fortunate to have a much larger selection of vegetables in our markets. Why not use them for Primavera?
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