Recipe: Farfalle With Spring Vegetables

What You Need:

• 2 slices of white sandwich bread, finely chopped (1 cup)
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 bunch broccolini
• 1 pound farfalle
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 fennel bulb—halved, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed, or 1 pound fresh peas, shelled
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

How To:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. On a baking sheet, toss the bread with 1/4 cup of the oil and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once, until golden. Let cool, then stir in half each of the parsley, chives and tarragon. Season the crumbs with salt and pepper.
2. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the broccolini until tender, 1 minute; using tongs, transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop. Boil the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
3. In a deep skillet, melt the butter in the remaining 6 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, fennel, scallions, peas and broccolini and cook over moderate heat until the fennel is crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Add the pasta, lemon juice and cooking water and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat until the water is nearly absorbed. Stir in the remaining herbs. Sprinkle the pasta with the bread crumbs just before serving.