Asparagus-Spring Pea Pasta - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb asparagus, trimmed and halved crosswise
1/4 lb snow peas
1/4 lb sugar snap pea
1 (12 ounce) package dried cellentani pasta
5 ounces fresh green peas or 5 ounces frozen green peas, thawed if frozen
1/4 cup fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese, finely grated
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, finely grated
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (to taste)
1 teaspoon garlic, minced (or to taste)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces prosciutto or 2 ounces ham, torn into pieces
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
salt, to taste
pepper (optional)

Preparation

Bring large pot of water to a boil; add salt.
Add asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water.
Bring water in pot back to a boil; add snow peas and cook just until tender, about 1 minute.
Transfer with slotted spoon to bowl of ice and cold water.
Repeat with sugar snap peas; reserve cooking liquid in pot.
When vegetables are cool, drain in a colander, set aside.
Bring cooking liquid in pot back to a boil; stir in pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.
Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, then drain pasta.
Diagonally cut asparagus into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Transfer half of asparagus to a food processor.
Diagonally cut half of the snow peas and sugar snap peas in half; add cut snow and sugar snap peas to food processor with half of green peas.
Add 6 T reserved cooking liquid, the Parmigiano-Reggiano, zest, garlic, juice and oil; season with salt and pepper.
Process until smooth.
Combine with remaining vegetables in a saucepan; heat over low heat until warm, for sauce.
Transfer sauce, pasta and 1/4 cup cooking liquid to a large serving bowl; toss until coated well, adding additional cooking liquid, 2 T at a time, if too thick.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Top each serving with prosciutto, chives and a dollop of ricotta.
Sprinkle with pepper, if desired.