I wanted to create a green pasta dish. A dish that looks healthy and tastes fantastic. I used zucchini, asparagus and peas. You can improvise, of course and use green beans instead of asparagus or, use both. Anything goes really. I particularly love the lemon in this pasta. It kind of reminds me of spring. Omit the pancetta for a vegetarian version

Ingredients

• 500 grams fussili pasta (or penne)
• 100 grams pancetta or bacon, chopped
• 4 medium zucchini (about 600 gr), chopped in sticks
• 500 grams asparagus spears, cut in 2 or 3 pieces
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 spring onions

To serve:

• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• ¼ cup double cream
• 3 Tbs olive oil
• 3 Tbs lemon juice
• Zest of a lemon
• ¼ cup basil leaves
• ¼ cup chopped parsley

Method:

In a large saucepan, sautee the pancetta stirring trequently, over medium-high heat, until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. In the same pan, add the asparagus and sautee for a couple of minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for a minute more. Throw in the frozen peas, onions and garlic. Cook for a while stiring until peas are thawed completely and heated through. Add salt to taste and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

In a large pot, bring plenty of salted water to a boil. Add the fussili and cook according to the packet’s instructions. Drain but keep a cup of the boiling water. Mix pasta with the vegetables and add the parmesan cheese, olive oil, cream, lemon juice and zest. basil and parsley. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water if it’s too dry. Sprinkle with the pancetta and serve.