Spring Pasta

Most of the time, when I see "pasta primavera" on a menu, I want to run away.

Vegetarian pasta dishes are usually really dull. It was the cop out of chefs made to appease the vegetarians when when they couldn't be bothered to do anything more clever. But then I saw this recipe in Food and Wine and it is really yummy! It is really is a Spring Pasta, and the flavors are wonderful.  

Ingredients

• Greens - spinach or swiss chard
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Flaky sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds grapes tomatoes
• 6 scallions, white and tender green parts only, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
• 1/w pound mafaldine or other curly, wide noodles
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• About 1/2 cup shaved ricotta salata cheese
• some pinenuts, toasted

Procedure 

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with  2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the vegetables for about 25 minutes, until the tomatoes are very juicy but not broken down.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the scallions until just softened, 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the scallions to a bowl. Add the asparagus to the pot and cook until just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to the bowl. 
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
4. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the greens and cook only a few minutes. Add the scallions, asparagus, butter,  and half of the parsley .Add the reserved pasta water and cook until the pasta is al dente. Gently fold in the roasted tomatoes and any juices and season with sea salt and pepper. Garnish with the shaved cheese and the remaining parsley and pinenuts
   
   
   and serve right away.