Seasonal Pasta

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This recipe is from "No More Takeout: A Visual Do-It-Yourself Guide to Cooking," by Stephen Hartigan and Jerry Boak (Wiley, $25).

• Ingredients:

Kosher salt

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound pasta (anything from spaghetti to farfelle)

Ice water

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 shallot, peeled and minced

½ cup white wine

1 cup vegetable or chicken stock (canned or boxed)

1 cup cream (optional)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons butter

Vegetables (½ cup each vegetable per person, plus 2 tablespoons fresh herbs and ¼ teaspoon dried spices:

• Spring: asparagus pieces (blanched), chopped tomatoes, fresh parsley, smoked paprika

• Summer: fresh corn kernels (blanched), chopped tomatoes, basil, celery salt

• Fall: butternut squash cubes (blanched), halved cherry or grape tomatoes, fresh sage, ground coriander

• Winter: broccoli florets (blanched), sliced mushrooms, fresh thyme, cayenne

• Instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Refill pot with water. Add 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Blanch vegetables that need blanching (asparagus, corn, butternut squash or broccoli) for one minute. Remove from water and drop in ice water.

Place skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook garlic and shallot, covered, over medium heat just until beginning to soften. Stir in ¼ cup wine, ½ cup stock and ½ cup cream (if using). Turn heat up to high and cook three minutes. Add blanched vegetables and cook three minutes. Stir in remaining cream (if using) and cook until sauce is reduced by half.

Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Add drained pasta, tossing with tongs to coat. Add remaining white wine and stock. Cook down, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

Toss in raw vegetables, 2 tablespoons butter, herbs, spices, salt and pepper. Stir one minute, then remove from heat. Add ¼ cup Parmesan and toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with additional Parmesan if desired.

Note: Instead of blanching, you could use grilled vegetables.