Fettuccine Alfredo with Spring Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1 package (250 g) of fresh fettuccine pasta
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to add to the pasta
• 2 cups shiitake mushrooms (about 110 g), stems removed
• 1 bunch of thin asparagus, about 450 g
• 110 g unsalted butter
• 0.5 cup frozen green peas
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1.5 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 1 tbsp. l. chopped chives
• Finely grated zest of half a lemon

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Set aside 0.5 cups of water, drain the rest, and toss the pasta in a colander with olive oil.
2. Meanwhile, slice the mushroom caps into 0.5 cm-thick strips. Trim the tough ends from the asparagus and cut each stalk into 5 cm-thick pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter has melted, increase the heat to medium and add the mushrooms, spreading them out in a single layer. Cook, without stirring, until the undersides are browned, 1 to 2 minutes, then stir and cook until golden, about 2 more minutes.
3. Add the asparagus, another 1 tablespoon butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus is tender and the mushrooms are golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the colander with the pasta.
4. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is almost melted, stir in the cream and bring to a boil, then add the green peas and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
5. Stir the Parmesan into the sauce. Add the vegetables and mushrooms, cooked pasta, green onions, and lemon zest and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The pasta will thicken as it cools. To thin it, add the reserved pasta cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Serve the pasta hot on warm plates.
   
   
   Note
   
   Whipping cream contains stabilizers that help it whip to the desired consistency. It will thicken your Alfredo sauce more than regular heavy cream. You can adjust the sauce's consistency by adding up to 0.5 cups of the pasta water.