Two-Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Tarragon

Over the lifetime of this blog you will probably get to read the word Fairway several thousand times, if you can hang in there that long. For those of you outside the NYC tri-state area, I apologize for torturing you with the fact that we inside the NYC tri-state area get to shop at the GREATEST MARKET ON EARTH. I heart Fairway. They have an amazing vegetable section with piles of both conventional and organic produce. They have every cheese on God's Green Earth. I think they have a pretty incredible bakery -- I try and avert my eyes and walk past it as fast as possible as I think you can probably gain 3 pounds just breathing the air next to the rack of warm bagels. And they have the widest selection of both organic and conventional dry groceries I have ever seen. I can actually buy organic brown rice and Pringles all in the same shopping trip. Whole Foods, I'm sorry, but I'm in love with somebody else. Which leads me to this recipe, which is pretty good made with regular A&P ingedients, but really rocks with the fresh ricotta from (all together now)...FAIRWAY! And you can also get pretty decent fresh ricotta at Whole Foods (but no Pringles), and I have also been able to get my mom to actually make me fresh ricotta, because she is a culinary marvel and she loves me. But this particular recipe had Fairway ricotta in it (and Fairway snow peas), and the first tarragon of the season from my herb garden. It's a speedy little recipe, and we love it. Here you go.

TWO-PEA PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND TARRAGON

Serves 4

• 12 ounces short pasta of your choice (gemelli, penne, etc)
• 12 ounces sugar snap peas, stem ends removed
• 1 10 oz package frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 cup ricotta cheese

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes less than cooking time called for on package. Add snap peas to pot, cook all for 2 more minutes. Add frozen peas and cook one minute more. Scoop 1/2 cup pasta water from pot and then drain pasta and veggies. Return all to pot.

2. Toss pasta and veggies with butter, tarragon and ricotta, adding a little pasta water to create a thin sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Divide pasta among plates. At this point you can grate on a little Parmesan cheese if you are feeling adventurous. (And guess where you can buy fabulous blocks of Parmesan? I won't say it).

If anyone has favorite items that they like to get at Fairway, please tell me! One day I will bring my camera to Fairway to document my love and devotion.

Note: all pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.