Ultimate Spring Pasta and Wine Dinner
Spring is here and we’re feeling refreshed! And not just from the warm, fresh air wafting through our open windows, our kitchen and menus are feeling renewed too, thanks to all the green produce that’s now in season. To truly celebrate the new season, we’ve teamed up with Cavit wines to bring you a feast of pastas that are fit for spring and paired with the perfect bottles of wine. Spring days can be bright, but still quite chilly at times, but you can cozy up to these fresh, carb-loaded recipes.
Goat Cheese and Asparagus Fusilli with Lemon Zest with Zero Chardonnay
Yes, yes, pairing wine with asparagus is often a no-no, but we challenge you to just try this! This Chardonnay is crisp, bright, and a tad floral with bright tropical notes that all come together to be the perfect compliment to asparagus. Plus, the lemon zest of the pasta finds a match in the notes of the wine and (get rid of and). The creamy goat cheese brings everything together for a harmonious bite and sip. Try this pasta recipe.
Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Pasta with Pinot Noir
Ready to bust out the grill? Tis the season! Head to your local market and grab all the seasonal vegetables that will be fitting for your penne and throw them on the grill. If you’d like to add some protein, put some chicken on the barbecue too. Toss it all together with olive oil, some greens like watercress or arugula and fresh herbs and you’re almost set for a dining al fresco success. One last thing, the wine. Cavit’s bright and juicy Pinot Noir will not overpower the delicate vegetables, but, still is the perfect taste to mingle with the smoky flavors from the grill. Try this pasta recipe for inspiration.
www.platingsandpairings.com
Spring Scallop Risotto and Pinot Grigio
You’re right, risotto is not pasta, but, it’s a carb and it’s the perfect vessel for highlighting spring ingredients. Load your buttery rice dish up with spring peas, pea shoots and fresh herbs. For protein, top each bowl off with a few scallops. The rich mollusks (which can be cooked in mere minutes, by the way) and buttery risotto are so decadent, but need to be brightened up and that’s where the wine comes in. Serve your spring risotto with a crisp Cavit Pinot Grigio. This wine is packed with citrus notes that will refresh the palate after each bite, but will also match the spring peas and lemon found in the dish. Check out this risotto recipe.
Holly A. Heyser
Morel Tortellini and Merlot
Spring is synonymous with morels or mushrooms season in our world and it would be a shame to come upon this once-a-year treasure and not feature it in a pasta dish. Check out this recipe that features the rich mushroom with a tortellini filled with even more mushrooms and ricotta. We love serving mushrooms with Merlot. This Cavit Merlot is rich and round in flavor, with deep chocolate and ripe plums notes that can keep up with the earthy and umami-loaded mushrooms.
Prosciutto and Arugula Pappardelle with Riesling
There’s something so perfectly harmonious about a buttery bite of wide pappardelle with a kick of spicy spring arugula followed by salty prosciutto, black pepper, and parmesan. While nothing in this dish is sweet, we suggest throwing a sweet Riesling into the mix. This bottle is not syrup-sweet, but brings just the right amount of sweetness to your mouth to balance the rich and fatty prosciutto and the spice in the arugula. Your tastebuds will be singing for more. Check out this pasta recipe.
Frascatelli and Mustard Greens with Cabernet Sauvignon
This dense, spaetzle-like pasta is simple, but so delightful with a few gratings of pecorino cheese and spicy spring mustard greens. The silky tannins of Cavit’s medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon are an ideal match to the spicy greens, browned butter and semolina pasta. See the pasta recipe here.
BEN DEARNLEY
Rhubarb Dessert and Moscato Wine
It wouldn’t be right to finish off a glorious spring pasta meal without some dessert. We suggest a simple rhubarb compote with chocolate ice cream, served with whipped mascarpone or even a rhubarb crostata. These simple sweet treats served with the tart stalks are an ideal match with Cavit’s sweet Moscato wine. Without being cloyingly sweet, this Moscato is fruit-forward and refreshing, just like a bite of rhubarb jam.
