INA GARTEN'S LEMON FUSILLI AND ARUGULA

This is the story of one dish two years apart. As in, I thought I was making this dish for the first time, and it turns out I made the exact same dish on the same day one year prior. I remembered it as soon as I started cooking. It's creamy and cheesy and lemony and fresh. It's really the perfect Spring dish. If you have a half an hour and a few simple ingredients, you can put this together. It's visually beautiful and the taste is out of this world. It also reheats nicely for lunches throughout the week. Once I realized this dish was a fabulous repeat, it was quickly added to the rotation and we have it frequently. It would be perfect for Mother's Day if you're still looking for something!
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​One of the things that I really love is that you can make the pasta and keep it warm and add in the other ingredients later. Since bf is a baseball coach, this time of year I never know when he will be getting home. It's nice to be able to prep everything and then have it come together in minutes when he gets home.
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First, make the cream sauce. You will need:
3 lemons
2 cups of cream
garlic
salt
pepper
olive oil
1 cup of parmesan cheese (I actually used romano out of personal preference)
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Okay back to the recipe! 

I think this dish is easier if you prep first and just add in as you go since it does come together quickly. You'll want to juice two of the lemons. I really wouldn't use anything but fresh squeezed lemon juice in this as it will really have an impact on the taste. You also should mince up the garlic. I used two cloves, but you should go based on preference.
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In a pan over medium heat, cook the garlic in olive oil for about 1 minute. Don't let it go too long or it will burn. Once the garlic has been cooking for about a minute, add in the two cups of cream, the salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes or until thick and add in the cheese.
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For the Pasta:
1 pound of Pasta (obviously this calls for fusilli but I always use whatever I have on hand; in this case bow ties)
Cherry Tomatos (halfved)
Brocoli
​Arguala
1 Lemon
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This is NOT your mama's cream sauce! It's garlicky and lemony and amazing. I'm not even a big garlic fan and I want to take a bath in this sauce!

I feel like cherry tomatoes just make everything look amazing! I love the colors in this dish.

In a separate pot, cook the brocoli for about 3 minutes and then run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Once the pasta is done, add in the cream sauce, broccoli, and tomatoes and mix together (I also add in some more cheese). Finally, mix in the arugula sot hat it wilts down. Serve it warm with the lemon in quarters. 

I may or may not have eaten a lot of the cherry tomatoes before I remembered to snap a picture! Oops!

I love that you can be creative with this and use whatever pasta shape you want and whatever veggies are in season. Let me know if you try it! What's your go-to Spring recipe?