Pasta Primavera is one of our favorite ways to eat our veggies. If you have vegetables you need to use up, try this creamy ...

500g casarecce pasta. 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil. 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped. 2 eschallots, finely diced. 1 tbsp red chilli flakes . 120g pancetta, finely diced. sea salt .

Make the pasta In a small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Add the pistachios and toast over moderate heat, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

Reserve about 1½ cups pasta water, then drain pasta in a colander and return it to warm pot. Off heat, add butter to pasta, then stir in shallot-garlic mixture, fried zucchini, lemon zest and basil.

Customize this recipe with whatever captures your imagination at the store — casarecce pasta, stuffed olives, stemmed caperberries, pickled garlic — the possibilities are nearly endless.

The house-made extruded casarecce made a big difference but, as Workman says, if you’re not going to make the pasta yourself – and casarecce isn’t Pasta 101 – buy the very best you can afford.