Long Fusilli with Potatoes and Haricots Verts in Lemon Sauce

By LRay

Noted in Martha Stewart Living (August, 2011, page 133).

ACTIVE TIME: 20 Minutes
TOTAL TIME: 45 Minutes

Lemon, grated cheese and cooking water make up the remarkably simple sauce for this pasta. Baby fingerling potatoes in different colors look great, but any small boiling potatoes will taste good – just cut them into quarters if need be.

Ingredients

• 1 pound mixed baby FINGERLING POTATOES, such as red, gold, and pourple, cut into 3/4 –inch pieces
• 10 Ounces HARICOTS VERTS, trimmed
• 2 Tablespoons EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
• 3 GARLIC CLOVES, Thinly sliced
• 1 Pound long FUSILLI, Cooked until al dente (1 1/2 cups cooking water reserved)
• 2 Cups finely grated Pecorino romano cheese (4 Ounces)
• 1 LEMON, Zested into strips and sliced into matchsticks (2 Tablespoons)
• 1 Cup torn fresh BASIL
• 3/4 Teaspoon Crushed RED-PEPPER FLAKES

Preparation

Step 1

1. Prepare an ice-water bath.
Cook POTATOES in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes.
Transfer POTATOES to a bowl using a slotted spoon; pat dry.
Add HARICOTS VERTS to boiling water.
Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Drain, and transfer to ice-water bath.
Drain.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic until golden, about 3 minutes.
Add POTATOES and HARICOTS VERTS; toss to coat. Add reserved cooking WATER, the CHEESE and the LEMON ZEST and JUICE. Simmer until CHEESE melts. Toss in PASTA, BASIL, and RED-PEPPER FLAKES.