Baby carrots and sugar snap peas give this simplified primavera plenty of kid appeal, but if your family prefers other fresh vegetables, such as asparagus, green beans, or zucchini, they'll work well too.
What you'll need
- 1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) baby carrots, trimmed
- 2 cups (about 7 ounces) sugar snap peas
- 3 cups (about 8 ounces) uncooked penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 32 or so (about 8 ounces) medium fresh or thawed peeled shrimp
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
How to make it
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the carrots and let them simmer for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the snap peas and simmer for another minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a bowl. Now cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the package directions. Drain the pasta well.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook them, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add the carrots, peas, salt, pepper, and garlic and continue cooking for another minute, stirring often.
Stir in the chicken broth, scraping the pan to loosen any browned bits. Then stir in the cream and lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Add the pasta and grated cheese, stirring well to coat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley. Serve the pasta warm. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
