What’s Your Favorite Spring Time Dish?
Disclosure: I am a Calphalon Cook brand Ambassador. Calphalon is sponsoring this post but all opinions are my own.
We’re finally headed into Spring. It’s out with the heavy stews and in with lighter dishes, like this Orecchiette Carbonara with Spring Vegetables. Small flat pasta tossed in an egg and cheese carbonara sauce with fresh asparagus and peas.
It’s made using Calphalon cookware! Calphalon Premier™ Hard-Anodized Nonstick 11-Piece Cookware Set delivers a longer-lasting, superior nonstick performance for a perfect cooking experience every time. The durable, 3-layer nonstick interior is tough enough to withstand metal utensils and everyday use, and the hard-anodized exterior is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. It’s also compatible with gas, electric and glass top stovetops.
Included with set is the 10 in Fry Pan, 12 in Fry Pan with Cover, 1.5 qt Sauce Pan with Cover, 2.5 qt Sauce Pan with Cover, 3 qt Saute Pan with Cover, 8 qt Stock Pot
And it’s available at Calphalon.com
What is Orecchiette pasta?
Orecchiette is a pasta typical of Apulia, a region of Southern Italy. Their name comes from their shape, which resembles a small ear.
Traditionally, spaghetti is used with carbonara, but I wanted to try something different. Carbonara is a dish made with eggs, hard cheese, cured pork, and black pepper. It worked really well with the Orecchiette. I added asparagus and green peas to make the dish more Spring-like.
Start with boiling the pasta to al dente. Then in a bowl combine the eggs and cheese. Set aside. Blanch the vegetables, and sauté the pancetta.
Then, bring the dish together by combining all of these elements in the 10 inch Fry Pan, without the heat. Add gradual heat for 2 minutes so that the eggs get heated through. Serve with additional cheese. This dish is so good and perfect for spring!
The set definitely made cooking and cleaning up a breeze. So, get the Calphalon Premier™ Hard-Anodized Nonstick 11-Piece Cookware Set today!
Orecchiette Carbonara with Spring Vegetables
Ingredients
- 12 oz Orecchiette pasta
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 4 oz pancetta, cubed
- 1/2 lb Asparagus
- 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
- 1/2 cup pea pods
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, beat eggs and cheese then set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic. Cook until it begins to turn brown then take it out of the pan. Add the pancetta. Sauté for just a few minutes. Do not let it overcook. Remove from the heat.Bring a small pot with an inch or two of water to boil. Cut off the tops of the asparagus and add them to the pot. Blanch the asparagus for about 5 minutes. Remove from the water. Set aside. In the same water Blanche the pea pods as well. Set aside. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. To the pan with the pancetta add the pasta and the egg mixture. Toss to coat and to gently cook the eggs with the heat of the pasta. Turn on the flame for 2 minutes to heat through. Once combined, add in a small amount of the reserved hot pasta water if needed to make sure the pasta isn’t too dry. Add the asparagus and peas and stir. Add the pea pods. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve and add additional cheese if desired.
