Spring Pasta: Linguine with Asparagus and Arugula

Spring has sprung and some of my favorite vegetables are flooding into the market: brilliantly green fava beans, English peas, tender asparagus, and young, peppery arugula. Heaven. One of the greatest tricks to budget-minded cooking is to eat with the seasons. Rather than relying on cheap packaged goods, I head to the market or the produce aisle and find out what is freshest--buying vegetables (and fruits) that are in season are usually cheaper, and always taste better.

I decided to make a light, lemony pasta the other night highlighting some of spring's best flavors. I was in a hurry, so I decided to stick to asparagus and arugula, as peas and fava beans have to be shelled, blanched, and--in the case of fava beans--peeled. Perfect for a dinner party, but not ideal for a quick week night's meal. I already had the linguine in my pantry, as well as the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. I also had some Parmesan and a lemon in my fridge. Which means the the only ingredients I actually had to buy were the two fresh veggies. Who knew eating affordably could be so easy (and taste so good)??


SPRING LINGUINE WITH ASPARAGUS AND ARUGULA

1 pound thin asparagus (tough ends removed), cut into two-inch pieces
12 ounces linguine
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch arugula, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (or pecorino), plus more for the table
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Serves 4

Bring a large pot of water (with a pinch of salt) to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until bright green.

Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon into a bowl of ice water to cool; drain the asparagus and place in a bowl.

Return the water to a rapid boil (adding another pinch of salt) and add the linguine. Cooke the pasta according to package directions until al dente (still slightly firm).

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan. Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant (but not brown). Add the asparagus and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the asparagus mixture to the pasta, along with the arugula, lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining olive oil, and the cheese. Toss well to combine and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the pasta into bowls, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, and grate a bit more cheese on top.


INGREDIENT LIST:

1 16-ounce package dried linguine ($0.99)
1 lemon ($0.33)
4 ounces Parmesan (or pecorino) cheese ($5.99)
1 pound asparagus ($2.99)
1 bunch arugula ($1.49)

TOTAL: $11.79 (or...if you use pecorino, $9.79)

WINE SUGGESTION: Asparagus can be tricky to pair with wine, but I had a lovely pale 2008 Chinon rosé from the Loire Valley and it was a match made in food heaven. This dry rosé tastes of strawberries and roses, with a strong minerality that allows it to pair well to food.