A Taste of the New PCC Cookbook

Rather than a dinner of pasta with a few vegetables, this is a dinner of vegetables with just enough linguine to make it feel like a complete meal. The goat cheese softens and becomes a thin coating of rich-tasting, slightly tangy sauce.

Ingredients:

Serves 8 

• Kosher salt
• 8 ounces fresh linguine, or 4 ounces dried
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1⁄2 cup thinly sliced leeks (white and pale-green parts only), washed thoroughly
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 to 6 medium asparagus spears, tough ends removed and thinly sliced on the diagonal 
• 1⁄2 cup sugar snap peas, halved on the diagonal
• 1⁄2 cup snow peas, halved on the diagonal
• 1⁄4 cup shelled English peas (optional)
• 1 ½ cups baby arugula (about 1 ½ ounces) 
• 1 ½ cups baby spinach (about 1 ½ ounces) 
• 1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil 
• 4 ounces (about 1⁄2 cup) soft fresh goat cheese 
• 1⁄4 cup cooked and chopped bacon (optional) 
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish 

How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to the package directions, until just barely al dente. Err on the side of undercooked since it is going to be folded into the hot sauce and continue to cook. Drain, but don’t rinse. 

In a medium, heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the leeks, garlic, asparagus and peas. Sauté for about 2 minutes, until all the vegetables are bright green. Toss in the arugula, spinach, basil, cheese and bacon, mixing well to wilt the leaves and melt the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Fold the hot pasta into the creamy vegetables and drizzle with a little additional oil. Toss to combine and serve immediately. Garnish with the Parmesan.