one-pot springy shrimp primavera pasta

Ingredients

Kosher salt

1 pound small pasta noodles, such as rotini, farfalle, or orecchiette

1 bunch medium-thick asparagus (see Tip)

1 lemon

1 pound peeled and deveined jumbo (16/20) raw shrimp (tails on or off)

2 cups frozen English peas

1 or 2 (5.3-ounce) blocks Boursin cheese (any flavor-| like Garlic and Fine Herbs; see Tip)

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

Freshly ground black pepper

Toppings (optional): finely chopped fresh basil or parsley, red pepper flakes, freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package directions.

2. Meanwhile, trim the asparagus and cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces. Halve the lemon.

3. Two minutes before the pasta is finished cooking, add the asparagus to the pot. One minute before the pasta is done, add the shrimp and peas to the pot as well. Stir to make sure everything is submerged.

4. Scoop out 2 cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, asparagus, shrimp, and peas. (It's okay if the shrimp don't look totally cooked yet; they'll continue cooking in the sauce.)

5. Place the empty pot over medium heat. Add ¾ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water, the juice of both lemon halves, the Boursin, butter, 2 teaspoons salt, and some black pepper. (If you're using 2 blocks of Boursin, add another ¼ to ½ cup pasta cooking water.) Stir until a smooth sauce forms, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Add the pasta, asparagus, shrimp, and peas to the pot of sauce. Use a big spoon to toss to coat everything evenly. If your sauce is too thick, add more pasta cooking water; if it's too liquidy at the bottom of the pot, keep tossing. Taste and add more salt, black pepper, and/or lemon juice until it's absolutely delicious. If you like, sprinkle with fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, and/or Parm before serving.

Notes

tips Use 1 block of Boursin for a delicious light sauce or 2 packages for a rich, super-creamy sauce. • Medium- thick asparagus is about the same diameter as your pinkie finger. • As the pasta sits, the sauce will continue to thicken. If it's too thick/stiff when you go back for seconds, toss in a bit more of that pasta cooking water-that's what it's there for! I typically use all 2 cups by the end of dinner.

learn Shrimp sizes are denoted

with a number, which represents the number of shrimp that make up a pound. For example, "16/20" translates to 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. The higher the number, the smaller the shrimp, and vice versa. Words like "small," "medium," "large," "extra- large," "jumbo," or "colossal" are also used, though these vary widely depending on where you buy them.

swap You can summer-ize this pasta by swapping out the asparagus for yellow squash or zucchini (quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced) and/or halved cherry tomatoes.

riff Give it a chicken Alfredo spin by ditching the shrimp and stirring in 2 cups chopped cooked chicken at the end