Pasta Primavera Gregory
Room temperature pasta primavera with green and white fettuccine, prosciutto, snow peas, and a raspberry vinegar dressing. Finished with Parmesan and citrus zest.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minThis isn’t the heavy, cream-sauced primavera you might expect. Gregory’s version is a room-temperature pasta salad dressed in olive oil and raspberry vinegar, loaded with crisp vegetables and salty julienned prosciutto. It’s bright, elegant, and built for warm-weather eating.
Two colors of fettuccine (green and white) give the dish a striking visual base. Snow peas and sugar snap peas get a one-minute blanch followed by an ice bath, which locks in their vivid green color and snappy crunch. Every other ingredient goes in raw: purple onion, red bell pepper, Roma tomatoes, and scallions.
Raspberry vinegar is the unexpected thread that ties everything together. Its fruity acidity cuts through the olive oil and Parmesan richness without the harshness of plain red wine vinegar. The citrus zest scattered on top at the end adds tiny bursts of bright, fragrant oil.
Chef Tips
- Ice bath the peas immediately after that one-minute blanch. They’ll keep cooking in residual heat otherwise and go from crisp to mushy fast.
- Toss the hot pasta with olive oil and onion right after draining. The heat softens the purple onion just enough to mellow its sharpness, and the oil prevents the fettuccine from clumping as it cools.
- Serve at room temperature, not cold. Straight from the fridge dulls all the flavors. Pull it out 20 minutes before serving.
Variations
- Vegetarian version: Drop the prosciutto and add shaved artichoke hearts or roasted asparagus for a meat-free take.
- Balsamic swap: Replace raspberry vinegar with aged balsamic for a deeper, more caramelized sweetness.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring 4 qts water to a boil; add 2 tbls salt and stir in fettuccine.
Cook until tender but still firm; drain immediately.
Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, add the olive oil and chopped onion; toss gently.
Let cool to room temp.
Bring another 4 qts water to a boil.
Add 2 tbls salt and the peas.
Cook for 1 min., drain and immediately plunge peas into ice water.
Let stand 10 min; drain and pat dry.
Add peas to pasta along with prosciutto, tomatoes, red papper, scallions and chives or herbs to taste.
Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle on raspberry vinegar to taste, and toss gently.
Toss the pasta primavera with the parmesan.
Arrange on serving platter.
Scatter olives and citrus zest over the pasta and serve at room temp.
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